Pennsylvania drug detective accused of trading official actions for sex

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses a former central Pennsylvania detective who served on a drug task force of having traded official actions for sexual favors.

Federal prosecutors said a grand jury indicted former Carlisle police officer Christopher Collare, 52, of Blythewood, South Carolina, on charges of bribery, heroin distribution, fraud and lying to federal agents.

The 27-page indictment issued Jan. 16 said Collare worked as a Carlisle police officer from 1996 to late 2018, and served on the Cumberland County Drug Task Force as well as an FBI task force in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

did not appear to have a listed phone number, and online court records do not indicate whether he is represented by a defense attorney.

Carlisle Mayor Tim Scott said he was disappointed by news of the charges.

“It’s important to note that the alleged conduct occurred years ago,” Scott wrote in an email, noting it was before the current chief was hired. “I do however want to see if we can learn anything from this but, again, I know our officers are doing a great job.”

Scott said Collare resigned in 2018.

Starting in 2011, the grand jury alleges, Collare lied about the amount of drugs purchased by informants and gave informants drugs that had been seized. He is also accused of having allowed confidential informants to keep drugs they obtained during controlled purchases made during investigations.

Authorities also allege that hired a prostitute from an online ad in December 2011 and gave that unnamed person money and heroin for sex acts between 2011 and August 2014, according to the indictment. He is also accused of having agreed to skip a hearing in 2015 that resulted in dismissal of drug charges against the boyfriend of someone with whom he had sex, according to the indictment.