93-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

Today is Wednesday. It's February 20th. Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning in the news this morning. A former Philadelphia police officer was arrested Tuesday on allegations. He sexually assaulted male witnesses and suspects over a decade plus career as a detective.

Philip Nordeaux was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon. Much of the grand jury report

protected the identity of victims and the allegations, but a handful of pages were unsealed,

showing multiple accusations of rape, intimidation, sexual misconduct, and theft of city funds.

What a nightmare.

Yeah, a spokesman for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office declined to comment further on the recommended charges against the 52-year-old former police department veteran.

Nordo, who was working in the homicide division at the time, was fired in 2017 after allegations were made that he placed funds

in a witness's commissary account and that he was fraternizing with people who were connected

to criminal investigations. The police union said union officials reviewed the charges and would

not be representing Nordo. Authorities allege Nordo used his position to intimidate and groom

male suspects and witnesses into sexual acts.

The report said that Nordeaux asked that homosexual inmates who were being prepared for release to be referred to him

and that he regularly volunteered to transport suspects or witnesses for other detectives,

often using the time alone to allegedly ask personal questions that might allow him to cultivate relationships. Authority said victims alleged that Nordeaux would display his firearm during the

grooming sessions and would tell suspects no one would believe them if they reported the

allegations or if they reported the alleged incidents. Police Commissioner Richard Ross fired Norto

in 2017 after learning of some of the allegations,

which ones he did not elaborate on. The potential charges also include a count of theft by deception because authority said that Nordeau filed false claims for reward money and other incentives

worth a total of about $20,000 for some of the victims. A man who was previously arrested five

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