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<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; A Luzerne County detective testified on behalf of a woman who claimed she was coerced by police officer Mark Icker to perform a sex act in exchange for not getting arrested or having her vehicle towed.</p><p>Whether the woman actually believed she would get arrested for driving a vehicle without insurance remains unknown but it will likely become an issue in county court.</p><p>Icker, 29, of Throop, appeared Wednesday for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Donald Whittaker on charges of coercion, official oppression and attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, which were filed Feb. 22 by detectives Charles Balogh and Daniel Yursha.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/734207/alleged-bad-cop-icker-faces-new-sex-charges-over-sugar-notch-incident" target="_blank">It is the fourth case against </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/734207/alleged-bad-cop-icker-faces-new-sex-charges-over-sugar-notch-incident" target="_blank">Icker</a>, who is facing charges in county court alleging he coerced three women he stopped while working as a police officer in Ashley into performing lewd sex acts.</p><p>The case presented before Whittaker involved Icker working as an officer in Sugar Notch, where a woman claimed she was stopped by him for crossing over a white line at a stop sign at Hanover Street and New Commerce Boulevard on Nov. 8.</p><p>She did not appear at Wednesday&#8217;s hearing but instead, Balogh testified on her behalf.</p><p>Balogh said the woman was reluctant to come forward with allegations until after she was urged by her mother and boyfriend upon seeing news accounts of Icker being arrested in late December and early January.</p><p>Balogh testified the woman reported she was driving her vehicle with her boyfriend and three children when she was stopped by Icker. The detective said the woman provided the required paperwork and Icker noticed the inspection sticker had expired and insurance had elapsed.</p><p>&#8220;No police officer is going to allow you to drive a vehicle without insurance,&#8221; Balogh said.</p><p>Balogh said the woman claimed Icker told her, &#8220;It&#8217;s on me to let you go,&#8221; as Icker had a tow truck respond to the traffic stop to take the vehicle. The woman called her mother for a ride as she believed her vehicle was going to be towed.</p><p>While waiting for the tow truck, Balogh said the woman reported Icker asked her, &#8220;What can you do for me?&#8221; She initially believed Icker wanted money but realized Icker was referring to sex.</p><p>Icker coerced the woman to give him her phone number and he sent a text message, &#8220;Sugar Notch,&#8221; which was seen by the woman&#8217;s boyfriend inside the stopped vehicle.</p><p>Balogh said Icker waived off the tow truck under an arrangement the woman was going to meet him at midnight Nov. 9. She continued with her plans taking her children to Chuck E. Cheese and soon began receiving text messages from Icker.</p><p>She allegedly told Balogh that Icker continued to send her text messages and asked her to send him a nude picture. Balogh said the woman did send a topless picture to Icker.</p><p>On cross examination by Icker&#8217;s attorney, Bernard Brown, Balogh said he seized Icker&#8217;s cell phone with a search warrant regarding the other criminal cases, but did not find any threatening or coercion type text messages to the woman from Icker.</p><p>Balogh said Icker never filed an official police report and did not file any citations against the woman.</p><p>Brown suggested the woman was aware there is a difference between being arrested and handcuffed and receiving citations for vehicle and traffic violations, pointing out that the woman in question has received citations before and after the Nov. 8 traffic stop.</p><p>Balogh replied that in his experience as a law enforcement officer, any reasonable person is going to believe a police officer if told they are going to be arrested.</p><p>Whittaker determined First Assistant District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce established a case against Icker, sending the three criminal counts to county court. Icker remains jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $$250,000 bail.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL030719Icker-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mark Icker is led into District Judge Donald Whittaker&#8217;s courtroom in Nanticoke on Wednesday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL030719Icker-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mark Icker is led into District Judge Donald Whittaker&#8217;s courtroom in Nanticoke on Wednesday afternoon. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Detective: Sugar Notch cop sought sex with woman