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Freeport man bound over for trial in sex assault case
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MONROE - A Freeport man was bound over for trial Wednesday on charges he sexually assaulted a woman last March.

Equez D. Collins, 21, appeared in court with defense attorney Robert Franklin Nagel in front of Green County Circuit Court Judge James R. Beer. Collins is charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault with the use of force, a Class C felony.

At Collins' preliminary hearing Wednesday, Detective Sgt. Daniel Skatrud of the Monroe Police Department testified he was called to Monroe Clinic where he took the report of the alleged assault that occurred on March 1, 2014.

Skatrud said the victim was at a local tavern and could not find a ride when Collins offered to drive her home. The woman did not know Collins previously. She said Collins drove her around until he pulled into a parking lot where he grabbed her by the neck and pulled her into the back seat of his vehicle.

Rug burns on the victim were visible, Skatrud testified, but he did not see any marks on her neck.

Clothing from the woman and other samples were sent to the Wisconsin State Crime lab in Madison. The resulting DNA profile of a male subject was run through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), where it sat until other evidence was collected.

A detective with the Freeport Police Department collected a cigarette butt at Collins' residence for testing against other DNA samples in the CODIS program. After the cigarette butt matched Collins' DNA, Skatrud testified, he and a detective from Freeport Police followed up with Collins, who was incarcerated at the Stephenson County Jail in Freeport on domestic abuse charges.

Collins said he had consensual sex with the woman the night of the alleged assault. He said the victim initiated contact and consented to sexual activity and that they had both been drinking.

Collins had a $2,500 cash bond set at a preliminary hearing last week.

If convicted for the maximum penalty, Collins could face up to 40 years imprisonment or $100,000 in fines or both.

Beer found that there was probable cause in the case against Collins. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. May 26.