The charges against Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority Officer Christopher Collins were dismissed Tuesday in favor of being refiled in Erie County where the majority of the alleged crimes occurred.
In March of 2017, Collins pleaded not guilty to sexual battery, endangering children, contributing to the delinquency of a child, and other chargesinvolving teenagers he mentored while an officer, according to court records.
Collins was an advisor in the CMHA police explorer program.
The program is part of a nationwide organization made up of local chapters and run by a Boy Scouts of America subsidiary called Learning for Life. Such programs are designed to teach teens and young adults about careers early on.
Collins is accused of taking advantage of five of his participants. The participants are called explorers.
In his own words on a pre-employment interview form, Collins said that "working with the children is a way for me to relax, let my guard down and just open up."
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