A former Tamaqua police officer was sentenced to 27 1/2 years in federal prison for coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, child pornography, creation of an animal crush video and other serious charges.

Christopher J. Cordes, 31, of Nazareth, received the sentence Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Saporito Jr.

Cordes will also have 10 years of supervised release.

According to the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, while employed as an officer for the Tamaqua Police Department in 2023 and 2024, Cordes communicated with at least one minor victim on a social media platform, whom he solicited to create sexually explicit images and videos of themselves.

In addition, Cordes used social media to solicit the receipt of child pornography from others. Cordes also created and then sent a video to at least one minor victim and other which depicted himself engaged in sexual activity with animals.

When Cordes was arrested, he was in possession of child pornography.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

“As a former police officer, Cordes understood the trust our communities place in those who wear a badge, and violated that trust in the most disturbing way,” said Nathan Abel, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia. “This sentence reflects the persistent work of HSI special agents and our partners at the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to uncover his conduct, support the victims and ensure he will never again have the opportunity to exploit a child.”

“This case involved truly disturbing conduct that has no place in a civilized society, and we thank our federal partners for collaboration that ultimately removed a predator from the community for multiple decades,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said.

He also was charged with attempted receipt of and possession of child pornography and production of child pornography.

Cordes was fired from the department in May 2024, after the charges were filed.