March 17--Skeeter Manos on Friday admitted he was a thief, had stolen not just from the widows and children of four of his fallen colleagues but also from the people he served with on the Lakewood Police Department.
The former Lakewood officer, fired this year, now faces the prospect of federal prison time after pleading guilty to a single count of wire fraud.
He is to be sentenced June 15. Standard guidelines call for a sentence of between one year, nine months and two years, nine months in prison.
Manos, 35, also will be required to pay $112,000 in restitution to the Lakewood Officers Charity and $47,000 to the Lakewood Police Independent Guild.
The wire fraud count addressed only the theft from the charity, which was set up in the wake of the November 2009 attack by convicted felon Maurice Clemmons that left Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Tina Griswold, Gregory Richards and Ronald Owens dead.
The fund established for the officers' families generated more than $3.2 million.
As guild treasurer, Manos was in charge of deposits to the account. Starting in early 2010 and continuing into last year, he diverted some donations into a secret and separate account instead of placing them into the charity fund, charging papers say.
He used the money to buy things like snowboarding gear for his wife and him, a stainless steel refrigerator with French doors, a flat-screen TV and an air conditioner. He bought airline tickets to Las Vegas for himself and his wife and stayed at the swanky Bellagio Hotel.
He used an ATM card tied to the secret account, a card Manos established without the knowledge or permission of guild members, charging papers state.
Manos also stole funds from the guild's primary accounts, in essence stealing his colleagues' union dues, according to his plea agreement.
Under the terms of the deal, Manos will not be prosecuted for stealing from the guild, which represents rank-and-file police officers. U.S. District Judge Robert Bryan still has the authority to require Manos to pay back the money he stole from it.
Bryan accepted Manos' plea at the federal courthouse in Tacoma.
Kim Renninger and Kelly Richards, the widows of Sgt. Renninger and Officer Richards, attended the hearing. They left court without commenting.
At one point during the hearing, the judge asked Manos whether he'd stolen the money and lied about it.
"Yes, your honor," Manos replied.
"You knew if you got caught, you'd be in trouble?" the judge persisted.
"Yes, your honor," Manos said.
Outside court, assistant U.S. attorney Robert Westinghouse said Manos had violated a sacred trust between the public and law enforcement.
Police guild president Eric Bell said Friday the union still was examining its books and might pursue further action against Manos in civil court.
"We still believe we may be missing more than that ($47,000)," Bell said. "We're certainly looking at our options."
Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
Twitter: @TNTadam
Copyright 2012 - The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.
