Former Principal at Collinsville Christian Academy Charged with Sexual Abuse

By Kim Bell
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
March 7, 2014

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-principal-at-collinsville-christian-academy-charged-with-sexual-abuse/article_d7a834a1-d82e-5b86-b90c-cccc9b75a485.html

Robert Allen Lane

The former principal at Collinsville Christian Academy has been charged with twice trying to sexually abuse a former student. Both incidents allegedly happened on campus during business hours last year, before he was dismissed by the school board.

The Madison County state’s attorney on Thursday charged Robert Allen Lane with two counts of attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Lane, 57, lives in Troy, Ill.

Lane was principal at Collinsville Christian Academy from August 2010 until December 2013, police said. The academy is for students K-12. Lane was dismissed by the school board in November or December.

Bail was set at $100,000. With the approval of Judge Richard Tognarelli, Lane posted 10 percent of that and has been released from custody. He could not be reached for comment Friday.

The Collinsville Police Department started its investigation after hearing allegations from a former student at the academy.

Authorities allege Lane tried to touch or fondle a boy’s genitals. The charges only identify the victim by initials and say the victim was older than 13 but younger than 18 years old. The charges also say that Lane held “a position of trust, authority or supervision” over the victim. According to the charges, one offense happened between Nov. 1 and Nov. 7; the other happened between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1.

The academy’s acting administrator said she can’t comment on the investigation, but she confirmed that Lane was principal there until his dismissal by the board late last year.

The school’s website still had biographical information listed for Lane Friday morning, saying he was head baseball coach and had 16 years’ teaching experience. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Morehead State University in Kentucky and has a master’s degree in secondary school administration from Morehead, the academy’s website said. It goes on to say that Lane has been married 23 years and has one daughter and one son.

Police say they think there might be additional victims and ask anyone with information to call the Collinsville police crime tip line at 618-301-4444 or Collinsville Police Lt. Todd Link at 618-344-2131, ext. 5126.

kbell@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8115