A retired Philadelphia police officer, already incarcerated for child sex assault, faces a slew of new charges related to alleged offenses committed during his time on the force. Patrick Heron, who retired in 2019, was initially arrested for impersonating an officer to solicit explicit photos from and arrange meetings with underage girls. District Attorney Larry Krasner described the initial allegations as deeply troubling.
Now, Heron is facing charges in 19 new cases involving sexual misconduct against women and girls, spanning from 2005 to 2019, the period during which he served as a police officer. He also faces charges related to witness intimidation and threats.
Lyandra Retacco, chief of the Special Investigations Unit at the District Attorney’s Office, stated in a press conference that the investigation continues to uncover additional victims and evidence, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The 53-year-old Heron is currently being held without bail after his initial $2 million bail was revoked. His attorney, Pierre La Tour, declined to provide comment to the Inquirer regarding the new charges.
The 233 new counts filed against Heron include a range of serious offenses, such as kidnapping, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, indecent assault, and institutional sexual assault.
