A Johnson County jury has found an Indianapolis man guilty of forcing a woman to have sex with him at a Greenwood apartment in 2019.
Moses J. Collins Jr., 24, was found guilty of rape, a Level 3 felony, along with sexual battery and criminal confinement, both Level 6 felonies, on Thursday. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 16 years in prison, as the charges will run concurrent to each other. He also faces a fine of up to $10,000.
Collins was found guilty after two full days of testimony, during which multiple witness testified, including the victim. Collins also testified on his behalf for the defense, according to a Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office news release.
The victim told Greenwood police in December 2019 that Collins raped her in a bedroom at a friend’s apartment. The victim, Collins and two other people were hanging out the night before the alleged attack. The victim told police she went to bed between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., and slept alone on an air mattress in a bedroom at the apartment. That afternoon, while she was still asleep in the bedroom, Collins entered the room, asked the victim if he could lay down with her. Despite the fact that she said “no,” he shut the door behind him and laid down, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in February 2020 in Johnson County Circuit Court.
The victim told police she became upset when Collins got into bed with her. When he began touching her and tried to pull off her shorts, the victim said she fought back, but she couldn’t get out of his hold.
The victim said she eventually gave up and Collins then raped her.
She was given a rape kit and it was sent to a state lab for testing, according to court documents.
Collins left the apartment before police arrived. State police found him walking near the Chuck E. Cheese on U.S. 31 on the southside of Indianapolis, court documents said.
Collins told police he had consensual sex with the victim the night before the alleged rape and wanted to have sex again, but she refused. He told police he did go into the bedroom, wrapped himself around her, touched her chest and knocked her cellphone out of her hand because he wanted attention. However, Collins told police so he let her go, according to court documents.
Phone records show the victim tried to call a friend for help at 2:44 p.m. Dec. 14. A neighbor told police they heard a woman and a man screaming around that time, but couldn’t hear what was said, court documents say.
Johnson County Prosecutor Joe Villanueva applauded the victim for her courage in seeing the case through until the end, and telling an entire courtroom about one of the worst days in her life. He also thanked Greenwood police for a thorough investigation, and thanked members of his staff for their diligent effort in securing Collins’ conviction, he said in a statement.
Collins was taken into custody following the trial. A sentencing hearing is set for May 16.
CORRECTION: April 21, 9 p.m.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Collin’s maximum sentence and fines. It has since been corrected.
