Crime & Safety
PA Police Officer Charged With Raping Women While On Duty
A PA police officer who authorities said forced women to perform sex acts on him while on duty and in uniform has been charged with rape.
WILKES-BARRE, PA — A Pennsylvania police officer who authorities said forced women to perform sex acts on him while on duty and in uniform has been charged with rape and aggravated indecent assault, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said this week.
Robert Collins, 53, of Luzerne County, is accused of sexually assaulting four women while working as a police officer in Wilkes-Barre. In all four cases, Collins was operating a police vehicle and threatened the women not to report the crimes, Shapiro said.
The alleged assaults happened between August 2013 and December 2014.
Find out what's happening in Across Pennsylvaniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In three of the cases, Collins allegedly searched the female victims after a vehicle stop or street encounter, finding small amounts of controlled substances and/or drug paraphernalia. After the search, Collins placed the woman in his police car and forced her to perform oral sex on him by threatening arrest or other negative police action, Shapiro said.
Collins then released the women without any further investigation or contact, Shapiro said.
Find out what's happening in Across Pennsylvaniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In the fourth case, Collins told a young woman walking to get into his police car. He locked the doors, then sexually assaulted her, Shapiro said.
Collins is charged with three counts of rape, two counts of aggravated indecent assault, four counts of witness intimidation, false imprisonment, and related charges.
“This case is reprehensible – the perpetrator is a public official, someone who the community entrusted to protect them,” Shapiro said. “My office will prosecute sexual assault offenders to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they are."
The case is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, with the assistance of the FBI Scranton Office, and the Wilkes Barre City Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Barney Anderson.
Anyone with additional information to report related to the investigation should call the Pennsylvania State Police Wyoming Barracks at 570-697-2000.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.