WALTHAM, Mass. (WHDH) -- Waltham Police Cop Paul Manganelli,
48, appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon on charges of receiving child
pornography.
Waltham police said the cop was arrested after an
investigation by the FBI.
“The alleged off-duty conduct of one employee is not a
reflection of the Waltham police department as a whole,” said Keith MacPherson,
the acting chief of the Waltham police department, said in a statement Tuesday.
In a nine-page federal complaint, an FBI special agent
writes, “The case began in February of 2012 when police in Australia busted a
suspect for child porn.”
The FBI claims his email accounts led to many suspects
including an active duty cop with the Waltham Police Department.
In the complaint, Special Agent Eric Slaton of the FBI
writes, "Five of the images that Manganelli acknowledged having received
are of a naked prepubescent female, restrained by ropes around her legs and/or
wrists."
Manganelli’s neighbors are shocked.
“He's always been super friendly and waving. I feel safer in
the neighborhood because he seems like a strong presence. Never suspected a
thing,” said Kerri Hark.
Manganelli had a winning smile two years ago when he won the
Massachusetts State Lottery; which pays him $100,000 dollars a year for life.
But Manganelli's luck ran out on Monday when FBI agents and
local police showed up at his home and placed him under arrest.
“There was a cop car over there and a couple of other cars.
From what the neighbors said, there was cop cars, FBI -- that’s it,” said
Barbara White, a neighbor.
Manganelli lives in a new home in Waltham with his
girlfriend.
The Waltham Police Department refused comment on camera, but
released a statement saying, "The alleged off-duty conduct of one employee
is not a reflection of the Waltham Police Department as a whole."
Manganelli, who has been with the department for almost 20
years, is on paid administrative leave.
A judge on Tuesday ordered Manganelli to be held by federal
marshals until his bail hearing on Thursday.
Waltham
police cop arrested for child porn has been released on $50k bail
The Waltham police cop arrested by FBI agents Tuesday on
federal child pornography charges has been released to the custody of his
parents on a $50,000 bond with court-ordered conditions, according to the US
Attorney's office.
Officials said Paul Manganelli, 46, was placed under house
arrest with a monitoring bracelet and ordered to stay away from victims,
minors, and his girlfriend. Manganelli also was ordered not to use computers,
smart phones, guns, and was ordered to give up his job as a DJ, according to
the US Attorney's office.
Manganelli, a 20-year veteran of the force, allegedly sent
and received child pornography via his Yahoo email account, prosecutors said in
a statement. Manganelli told FBI agents that he was researching to
"identify perverts online," but Waltham police said Manganelli was
never assigned to conduct any such investigation, and there is no indication
that he reported any illegal activity, according to the federal complaint.
Manganelli has been placed on paid administrative leave by
the city of Waltham.
Manganelli's lawyer, Waltham-based Peter Bella, said that it
is too early to comment on the case.
"There's a lot more we need to look at and
evaluate," Bella said.