Fired Lakewood cop investigated in 2 more cases of theft
LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- The former Lakewood policeman accused of stealing from the fallen officers' fund is now being investigated in two more cases of theft.
The two new probes involve his own police union and the campaign fund of a fellow officer.
The tragic loss of four Lakewood police officers brought officer Skeeter Manos to the forefront. First he was lobbying for police widows to remarry and retain their benefits, and then he volunteered to be the treasurer of the 'Fallen Officers Fund' which had more than $3 million in donations.
The FBI claims Manos helped himself to $150,000 of that fund, shopping at Costco, REI, WalMart and Best Buy -- all paid for with donations from drop boxes, websites, auctions and benefits.
Manos was arrested and charged with dipping into the donations to make life a little more fun.
"I think this is one person, one bad person who did things that were inexplicable," said police union president Eric Bell. "I cannot believe the things that he did and we were just saddened as everybody else."
And now Bell tells us they're cooperating with the FBI in a second investigation to see if Manos is responsible for a large sum of money missing from the union while Manos served as treasurer. And we've confirmed a third investigation is under way tied to Manos to see if anything illegal was done with campaign money in officer Brian Wurts' run for the state legislature on the heels the officers' deaths. Manos was a campaign aide to Wurts.
Now Wurts is on administrative leave since he's tied to the investigation of Manos.
All three investigations now swirling around the Lakewood force.
"I wouldn't say that this tarnishes us at all," Bell said. "We're going to remain strong through this just like we did in '09 and we're going to continue to come to work."
Right now, Manos is only charged in the first investigation in federal court and remains out of jail. But we're told there's a possibility the Pierce County prosecutor may take over the second two cases and a chance Manos may be heading back in jail.
The two new probes involve his own police union and the campaign fund of a fellow officer.
The tragic loss of four Lakewood police officers brought officer Skeeter Manos to the forefront. First he was lobbying for police widows to remarry and retain their benefits, and then he volunteered to be the treasurer of the 'Fallen Officers Fund' which had more than $3 million in donations.
The FBI claims Manos helped himself to $150,000 of that fund, shopping at Costco, REI, WalMart and Best Buy -- all paid for with donations from drop boxes, websites, auctions and benefits.
Manos was arrested and charged with dipping into the donations to make life a little more fun.
"I think this is one person, one bad person who did things that were inexplicable," said police union president Eric Bell. "I cannot believe the things that he did and we were just saddened as everybody else."
And now Bell tells us they're cooperating with the FBI in a second investigation to see if Manos is responsible for a large sum of money missing from the union while Manos served as treasurer. And we've confirmed a third investigation is under way tied to Manos to see if anything illegal was done with campaign money in officer Brian Wurts' run for the state legislature on the heels the officers' deaths. Manos was a campaign aide to Wurts.
Now Wurts is on administrative leave since he's tied to the investigation of Manos.
All three investigations now swirling around the Lakewood force.
"I wouldn't say that this tarnishes us at all," Bell said. "We're going to remain strong through this just like we did in '09 and we're going to continue to come to work."
Right now, Manos is only charged in the first investigation in federal court and remains out of jail. But we're told there's a possibility the Pierce County prosecutor may take over the second two cases and a chance Manos may be heading back in jail.
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