A church deacon who committed a robbery during a Grindr hookup in Englewood in 2023 has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Erick Collins, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and received the sentence from Judge Stanley Sacks. The incident occurred during a springtime encounter arranged through the LGBTQ-focused dating app, where Collins pulled a gun on the victim and fled with a car belonging to the victim’s roommate.
The victim and Collins began chatting on the app that morning, with Collins asking the victim for money in exchange for sex. Collins arrived at the man’s home around 11:30 a.m., where he demanded payment upfront. When the victim grew uneasy and asked Collins to leave, Collins became aggressive and demanded more money. This escalated to the point where Collins pointed a handgun at the victim and threw objects at him, ultimately fleeing with the roommate’s car and the victim’s wallet.
Surveillance footage later captured Collins attempting to use the victim’s credit cards at a gas station and a Walmart. Despite his actions, Collins will receive a 50% sentence reduction for good behavior and credit for the time spent on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial. He is scheduled to be paroled on March 4, 2027.
It was revealed that Collins has a history of felony convictions, including burglaries in 2013 and 2015, as well as possession of a stolen motor vehicle in 2017.
This case serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of online hookup encounters and the importance of exercising caution when meeting strangers. It also highlights the consequences of criminal behavior, even for individuals in positions of trust like a church deacon.
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