A Pennsylvania police officer has been charged with raping four women while he was on duty. Officer Robert Collins, 53, of the Wilkes-Barre Police Department was charged with rape, witness intimidation, and official oppression, among other charges, which stemmed from the alleged assaults of four women between August 2013 and December 2014, and was arrested as his shift ended Tuesday afternoon. Bail was set at $125,000. Prosecutors allege that after finding evidence of criminal activity, Collins would demand sexual favors in exchange for avoiding arrest. One woman claimed that after Collins found her carrying heroin, he drove her to a quiet area and directed her to perform oral sex on him. When the act was complete, Collins allegedly told her to “keep your mouth shut or it will (expletive) you in the long run.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro condemned Collins’ alleged actions in a statement. “This case is reprehensible—the perpetrator is a public official, someone who the community entrusted to protect them,” he said. Collins has been suspended from the police department, which is conducting its own internal investigation.
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