Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Da’Ron Jerome Collins, 47, of Boiling Springs, has pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and witness tampering in connection with an ongoing federal kidnapping investigation.
Evidence revealed that 44-year-old Casey Lavonne Young was last seen on May 15, 2023, after she left work and arrived at the residence she shared with Collins in Boiling Springs. Initially, Collins stated that Young did not come home after work but later admitted to investigators that he last saw her when she arrived home at approximately 5:00 p.m. on May 15. The same day, Collins was captured on security cameras wiping surfaces of Young’s car and hiding it in a parking lot away from their residence. Two days before Young disappeared, police responded to the couple’s residence following a 911 call reporting a domestic violence incident where Collins was accused of strangling Young. No arrest was made at that time.
During the guilty plea, prosecutors stated that evidence showed Collins destroyed and attempted to hide physical and electronic evidence, including home security video clips, Young’s vehicle, and other personal identifying items material to the federal investigation. Collins also provided false and misleading information to investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office to prevent communication of relevant information to federal law enforcement. To date, Young has not been found.
Collins was denied bond on the federal charges and remains in custody. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for each offense. Additionally, he faces a fine of up to $250,000 and up to six years of supervision following imprisonment. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Collins after reviewing a presentence report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the FBI Columbia Field Office, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leesa Washington is prosecuting the case.
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