A local sex offender was arrested Saturday morning on 100 felony counts involving child pornography after he and a 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl allegedly exchanged multiple explicit photos earlier this summer.
Chester Douglas Manning, 36, who lists a Burchwood Bay Road address, was taken into custody shortly before 10:30 a.m. in the 800 block of Central Avenue and charged with 100 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Manning was being held on $250,000 bond and appeared Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on May 15, police detectives in Jeannette, Pa., contacted Hot Springs police about a report filed there by a Jeannette man regarding his 15-year-old daughter and a man identified as Chester Manning sending text messages and exchanging explicit photos over several weeks.
The juvenile reported meeting the man using the social media chat, "Google Hangouts." The affidavit notes Manning is a level 3 registered sex offender residing in Hot Springs. Level 3 offenders have a high risk of reoffense.
On May 24, Manning was arrested on a charge of failure to comply with registration and reporting requirements, a felony punishable by up to 10 years, after failing to disclose certain social media accounts when he registered with police on March 29. After his arrest, his phone was seized as evidence.
Manning was released the next day on $3,500 bond and pleaded not guilty to the charge in Garland County Circuit Court on Aug. 6. He is set for a disposition hearing on the case on Oct. 1.
Police Lt. Duane Tarbet obtained a search warrant for Manning's phone and allegedly located more than 100 photos of the known 15-year-old girl in different states of nudity. He also located numerous photos of Manning's privates, which he allegedly sent to the juvenile.
Tarbet noted Manning was aware of her age, yet continued exchanging photos. In reviewing the text messages, Tarbet found one where Manning made an obscene sexual comment to the juvenile and referred to her as a 15-year-old and "my little daughter."
The affidavit notes Manning and the juvenile are not related, have never met each other and prior to the text messages had never had a conversation. It was believed Manning and the juvenile exclusively used cellphones to contact each other.
Tarbet noted the photos he observed "are consistent with child abuse sexual material in violation of state and federal laws." A warrant for Manning's arrest was issued on Sept. 7.
Local on 09/25/2018