Two indicted on sex-related charges

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·1 min read

Apr. 24—A Laurel grand jury returned two indictments on Friday related to sex offenses.

Michael H. Collins, 51, of Woodland Drive in London, was charged with first-degree sexual abuse of a child "on two or more occasions" between Jan. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2022 "in a continuing course of conduct." The victim was 9 years old when the incidents began.

A second charge of first-degree sexual abuse claims that Collins subjected the same child to sexual contact on Jan. 28, 2024.

Collins was arrested in March 2024 on the charges with bond set at $10,000 cash. Court documents indicate that the $10,000 cash bond in the district court case was continued to the circuit court. He is set for a hearing in Laurel Circuit Court on June 19.

In a separate case, Samuel Ontez Dandridge, 29, of Appaloosa Trail in Corbin was charged with second offense of failure to comply with sex offender registration for failing to report a change of address, as is required by law. Dandridge's first charge was in Daviess Circuit Court in 2017.

His bond was set at $10,000 cash and he was remanded back to Laurel County Correctional Center. He was also ordered to have contact with anyone under age 18.

An indictment is an accusation only and does not imply guilt or innocence. Persons are considered innocent until proven guilty under state and federal law.