The Fairfax County Police

The Fairfax County Police
Sweeping it under the carpet for over fifty years

Monday, April 1, 2013

Waltham cop arrested on child porn charges



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.