Former police officer charged with unlawful contact with minors

A former Collier Township police officer is accused of inappropriately communicating with minor girls.

Cory Hurka, 29, is accused of asking the victims for sex and sending sexual photos and messages.

According to Allegheny County police, they started investigating Oct. 2. On Oct. 4, Collier Township police suspended Hurka. He resigned from his position on Dec. 3.

The department received a report that Hurka was asking underage girls, who were 15 and 16 at the time, for nude photos at a Collier Township tanning salon.

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Investigators said Hurka was not at the tanning salon on official business but was a customer and was often in uniform during the alleged incidents, which took place at least two years ago.

One of the victims, who is now 18, told police she was 16 when this started happening. She said Hurka could come in at closing time and that one time he picked up her cellphone and added his Snapchat username, then began sending her graphic messages.

According to the criminal complaint, “in the messages, Hurka would often ask the victim to have sex with him either in his home or at the tanning salon” and “Hurka would often ask the victim to get into the same tanning bed with him.“

Police also said, “Hurka would ask for nude pictures of a 15-year-old girl and said he would give her electronic cigarettes in exchange for the pictures.”

The Collier Township manager told Channel 11, “Collier Township does not condone Mr. Hurkas’ alleged behavior and it stands in stark contrast to township standards and expectations.”

“We are pleading not guilty, and we are going to go to court," said defense attorney Blaine Jones.

On Dec. 10, Hurka was charged with two counts of unlawful contact with minors, two counts of criminal solicitation and two counts of corruption of minors.

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