Couple Wanted For Sexual Battery On Juveniles Arrested In Colorado

March 13, 2015

After two weeks on the run the suspects wanted in a child sexual abuse case have been arrested.

Douglas Albert Manning, 47, and Leah Giannotti Manning, 40, were taken into custody Thursday in the Indian Springs Campground in Florence, Colorado, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. They were wanted on outstanding Escambia County warrants for sexual battery and child neglect. They are being held at the Fremont County Detention Center in Florence, Colorado, awaiting extradition to Escambia County.

“Many thanks to our media partners and followers on social media for working with us to locate these fugitives,” Sheriff David Morgan said in a statement released on Facebook.

Two Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were previously arrested in connection with the case.

Senior Deputy Mark Gene Smith was arrested and charged with felony sexual assault and misdemeanor battery. Deputy Walter Michael Thomas, Jr., was arrested and charged with felony sexual assault.  Thomas was released from the Escambia County jail on a $150,000 bond, while Smith remains behind bars with bond set at $170,000. Both have been placed on administrative leave without pay by the Sheriff’s Office.

Leah Manning was previously employed in the Escambia County Jail as a nurse.

From June to October of last year, both deputies had sexual relation with juveniles under the age of 18, according to arrest reports. The Mannings were “swingers’, according to authorities, with multiple partners. Investigator are still combing through over 100,000 images and videos found on the Mannings’ computer.

Pictured: Douglas and Leah Manning are taken into custody in Colorado. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Couple Wanted For Sexual Battery On Juveniles Arrested In Colorado”

  1. dean on March 18th, 2015 4:59 am

    why don’t you do something useful like try to find out who the rest of these peoples associates are, this has been going on for quite a while I guarantee you and with all of the disappearances going on down there too I guarantee you there’s a lot more cops involved, they all set up shop on Palafox, might as well be a cult

  2. Survivor on March 14th, 2015 1:15 pm

    Tip of the Iceberg …. Could tell you a story of my own abuse in the system … but it would only bring even more hard ship .. ” the good ole boys and gals”!!

  3. coseys ex on March 14th, 2015 11:27 am

    I’m a paramedic and I work hard to be professional at every call I’m on and I tell people that I run on that I am there to help them. I’d like the world to believe that we are all good and upstanding individuals and as with the Leo’s reputations as of late, people judge all by but a fews actions. It does matter what they do for a living because that makes my job harder and quite frankly, I don’t want people thinking that I or my coworkers are a bunch of perverts. I paid good money for my education and licenses. I want people to look at me and say that lady is a great medic. I want my patients to trust me and feel safe in my presence. I don’t want parents worrying that I may be a pedophile but instead know that I am giving their child the care I would give my own children or family member. That is why it matters what they do for a living…they are rotten apples in a bunch of otherwise great individuals.

  4. betty on March 13th, 2015 9:21 pm

    she was not a nurse. she was a paramedic

  5. jeeperman on March 13th, 2015 11:30 am

    If in deed these two are swingers and have over 100,000 pics and videos on their computer…..

    I am wondering how many more locals “of standing” in the community are getting nervous.

  6. business in the front, party in the back... on March 13th, 2015 9:17 am

    Camaro…

    check.

    Another stereotype validated.

  7. William on March 13th, 2015 7:59 am

    >>Why aren’t they showing pictures of the deputies who were arrested?

    Their mugshots are not public record under Florida law. They are protected

  8. William on March 13th, 2015 7:59 am

    >I don’t see that the reporter brought shame to the profession

    The sheriff’s office said she was a nurse; that’s why it was reported that way.

  9. haley on March 13th, 2015 7:47 am

    So glad these ppl were caught. Regardless of their profession, which by the way, has nothing to do with what they have been doing to children, I am glad they have been arrested along with the LEO’s that participated in this. There are bad apples in every profession. I wouldn’t take it personal as some of the comments indicate Good Grief. Who cares what they do for a living? They have been apprehended.

  10. Lee Williams on March 13th, 2015 6:53 am

    To I’m Batman –

    You notice the officer’s hat – I noticed the lawyer’s ad in the couple’s smiling picture (on the door behind them) – Tom Ueberschaer. I guess they figured that they would need one eventually

  11. john on March 13th, 2015 6:46 am

    I don’t understand why so many are offended because it was reported she was a nurse. I personally do not have any lesser opinion about nurses because you have one bad one. You can not correlate the depths of one’s heart with the profession they hold. The great tempter “Satan” does not care about ones profession, but what he does care about is ones soul.

    Child molesters don’t fare very well in prison.

  12. Honest John on March 13th, 2015 6:10 am

    We’ll go camping Honey, they’ll never catch us in Colorado!

  13. Just read.. on March 13th, 2015 4:47 am

    I don’t see that the reporter brought shame to the profession. The pedofile brought the shame. That is where your anger should be aimed toward…

  14. Lisa Watson on March 13th, 2015 1:38 am

    Why aren’t they showing pictures of the deputies who were arrested?

  15. D-man on March 12th, 2015 10:10 pm

    Pedophiles, EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses, PAs, NPs & MD….all the same though. NOT! Get your FACTS straight, you reporting idiots. WE, of medical professions, shutter at these types of stories. Thanks for bringing shame to noble professions where WE hold patients and ESPECIALLY children to the highest regard. Makes me sick to my stomach!

  16. I'm Batman on March 12th, 2015 9:53 pm

    Good pics

    Looks like Batman arrested her. check the officers hat.

  17. emschick on March 12th, 2015 8:23 pm

    @M we don’t want to claim her in our profession either. She is everything that we aren’t and gives our profession a bad name.

  18. molinoman on March 12th, 2015 8:02 pm

    @Michael, Nurses aren’t infallible. Ever hear of Angel of Death nurses? Nurses are just as capable of sex crimes as well. If memory serves me correct a few years ago a male nurse was sent to prison for sexually assaulting patients. Don’t think you can slander a profession. All priests child molesters; see, not so much a slandering statement, as it is a stereo-type.

    So what if she was a nurse or an EMT? She is an alleged pedophile at this point.

  19. M in Bratt on March 12th, 2015 6:47 pm

    I bet they are doing some “swinging” now.

  20. Michael on March 12th, 2015 6:24 pm

    Ugh. I wish they would stop saying she was a Nurse. She isn’t. She was an emt at the jail. Stop slandering our profession.

  21. mick on March 12th, 2015 4:58 pm

    A sad state when those that you think are a cut above and are held to a higher standard bring shame upon those that answer the call to protect and serve everyday., if the allegations are true and they are found guilty, put them away for a very long time…

  22. Chris in Molino on March 12th, 2015 4:50 pm

    It’s on now !

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News