HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Guido Modano of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s New York Field Office announced that Christopher Collare, age 52, currently a resident of Blythewood, South Carolina, was indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, drug distribution, fraud, and making false statements.
The indictment alleges that Collare, who was a veteran detective for the Carlisle Police Department, a task force officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and a member of the Cumberland County Drug Task Force, used his official position to obtain sex from two women in exchange for agreeing to take actions in prosecutions. In 2015, Collare allegedly agreed to accept sex or money in exchange for not appearing at an evidentiary hearing so that a criminal charge would be dismissed. In 2018, Collare allegedly agreed to accept sexual favors in exchange for taking steps to help reduce a potential sentence.
The indictment also alleges that Collare distributed heroin in 2016, and that he defrauded the Borough of Carlisle and the Cumberland County Drug Task Force between 2011 and 2018 by providing confidential informants with drugs and allowing informants to retain drugs that they had obtained during controlled buys.
The indictment further alleges that Collare lied on a federal form he completed during the process of becoming an FBI task force officer, and that he made multiple false statements in an interview with federal agents in May 2018.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler was designated United States Attorney for this case because United States Attorney David J. Freed recused himself. Mr. Freed was previously the District Attorney for Cumberland County and worked with Collare.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlo D. Marchioli and Phillip J. Caraballo and Trial Attorney James I. Pearce of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law ranges from 10 years to 20 years on the bribery-related counts, 20 years on the drug distribution count, 20 years on each of the fraud-related counts, and 5 years on each of the false statement counts. There is also a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
