NORWICH – Following just over two hours of deliberation, a Chenango County jury has found Charles Collins III not guilty of felony sex crimes that allegedly took place in the summer of 2008 and involving an eleven year old boy.

Collins, 32, of Sherburne, was indicted in July of 2011 on charges of predatory sexual assault against a child, a class A-II felony; first degree incest, a class B violent felony; first degree criminal sexual act, also a class B violent felony; and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

The jury came back at 4:35 p.m. yesterday with the verdict, clearing Collins of all charges. It was alleged that the Sherburne resident forced an 11-year-old boy to perform sexual acts upon himself, later telling the child not to tell anyone of the incident, which occurred on an undisclosed date in August of 2008.

Defense attorney Richard Bach, in his closing statement, noted that – in 2008 – the alleged victim told a New York State Police investigator that Collins had never forced him to perform any illegal, sexual acts. Prior to that statement, Collins had been charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child, a class D Felony, and possessing a sexual performance by a child, a class E Felony, after his Dell computer was confiscated by authorities.