A former Collinsville Christian Academy principal, facing sexual abuse charges from his time at the school, was indicted on July 17 by a grand jury for allegedly committing a similar crime in Clinton County.

Robert Allen Lane

Robert Allen Lane, 57, of the 1200 block of Antler Drive in Troy faces two felony counts of aggravated sexual abuse relating to an alleged 1996 incident while he was a part-time teacher at Breese Central High School. Lane was also a part-time teacher at Nashville High School at the time.

Lane is accused of touching the penis of a student on May 15, 1996. The alleged incident did not happen at the school.

The case came to the attention of the Clinton County Sheriff’s department when the juvenile was reported as a runaway on May 17, 1996, Sheriff Mike Kreke said. When the juvenile was located and questioned about why he left home, he made the accusation against Lane.

The case was investigated at the time, but no charges were filed, Kreke said. The case was re-opened when the Collinsville Police Department contacted the Clinton County Sheriff’s department following accusations made against Lane at Collinsville Christian Academy.

Information provided by the Collinsville Police Department assisted the Clinton County case, Kreke said. Lane was charged with two felony counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Madison County for allegedly touching a Collinsville Christian Academy student, attempting to arouse and fondle him, on two occasions in the fall of 2013.

Lane was the principal at Collinsville Christian Academy from Aug. 2010 to Dec. 2013.

Bond for the Clinton County charges was set at $75,000 for Lane, who is not in custody. The grand jury indictment further ordered that Lane have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family.

A court date has been set in Clinton County for 9 a.m. on Aug. 26. Lane is due in Madison County court at 9 a.m. on Sept. 8.

Attempts to reach Breese Central High School and Nashville High School for this story were unsuccessful.