Former Police Recruit Accused Of Sexting With Underage Girls Going To Trial
YOUNGWOOD, Pa. (KDKA) -- Some of the charges filed against a former Pittsburgh Police recruit, accused of using social media apps to try to engage underage girls, were dropped Wednesday in court.
Cyrus Sukhadia walked in to District Justice Anthony Bompiani's courtroom flanked by his attorney.
The 24-year-old is facing allegations by the state Attorney General's Office that he knowingly used social media apps to engage girls 13 and 15 years of age in sexually explicit communication.
"He's not a bad guy," said Michael DeRiso, Sukhadia's attorney. "He never had the intent to do what he's being charged with."
The Attorney General's Office alleges that in 2014, Sukadia, a former Pittsburgh Police recruit, contacted a 13-year-old Belle Vernon girl. The child claimed to be 15 on an app that's supposed to be used by adults only.
"'Whisper,' 'Kik,' 'Tinder,' all require a participant to create a profile. The profile had to be over the age of 17- or 18-years-old," said DeRiso.
When questioned by agents from the Attorney General's Office about Sukhadia, the victim told investigators: "Oh my God, I remember this guy, he really freaked me out!"
Sukhadia allegedly sent the girl two naked images of himself and asked the teen for the same. She responded: "OMG." She told investigators she "got scared and deleted the conversations."
"They have no other evidence that my client sent a photo to her, except her word two and a half years later," said DeRiso.
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Charges against Sukhadia for alleged obscene and inappropriate communications with another 15-year-old girl were dropped. The court citing no tangible evidence that victim was in fact 15, or even a female.
Sukhadia is awaiting trial on rape after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old in the Westmoreland Mall in 2014. All other counts against him were held for trial.
Sukhadia remains free on $75,000 straight cash bond.
