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WILKES-BARRE — A district judge from Hazleton has sent to Luzerne County Court all charges against Robert Collins, accused of using his authority as a Wilkes-Barre police officer to extort oral sex from women.

District Judge Joseph Zola made his ruling Friday morning, a day after a preliminary hearing held at the county courthouse for Collins.

Collins, 53, retired in February, about two weeks after he was arrested by state police Jan. 22.

Three woman testified they were stopped by Collins and driven away in a cruiser where they felt forced to give him oral sex upon his demands. They testified Collins told them not to tell anyone or he would file charges against them.

A fourth woman claimed Collins penetrated her with his fingers and masturbated in front of her while inside a cruiser.

Collins will face four counts each of intimidation of witness or victim, obstruction of administration of justice and official oppression, three counts each of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of indecent assault and one count each of aggravated indecent assault and false imprisonment. He remains free on $125,000 bail.

Collins’ attorney, Evan T.L. Hughes of Philadelphia, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Near the end of Thursday’s proceeding, Hughes and state deputy attorney general Bernard Anderson argued about the details of each charge.

In seeking to have some of the charges dismissed, Hughes argued none of the four women testified Collins committed “forced compulsion” and there was no testimony about any threats toward the women.

On the false imprisonment charge against Collins related to only one of the four women, Hughes stated the alleged incident happened inside a cruiser and the woman had the chance to open the door.

“She guessed that the door was locked. A guess is not sufficient to support a false imprisonment charge,” Hughes said.

Anderson countered that “forced compulsion” does not have to involve a physical threat, noting Collins allegedly told the women he would file criminal charges against them if they told anyone.

“He’s using his authority to compel the victims into performing sex acts,” Anderson said. “He used the threat, ‘give me sex or go to jail.’”

Collins
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By Ed Lewis

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