May 10, 2019

California child molestor faked suicide, arrested three years later in Florida

(2019/2015 booking photos)

On September 3rd, 2015, The Chico Police Detective Bureau, with the assistance of Homeland Security Agents, served multiple search warrants related to an investigation of child sexual assaults that occurred in 2008 and 2009.

In addition to the search warrants, MICHAEL PATRICK MANNING was taken into custody pursuant to an arrest warrant issued during the investigation.  The victim reported to have been sexually assaulted by MICHAEL MANNING when she was 12 to 14 years of age.

Detectives developed evidence and probable cause to support the victim’s allegations.  MICHAEL MANNING was booked on 4 counts of 288(a) PC and a single count of 288.3(a) PC.  MANNING posted bail and was released from Butte County Jail.

On September 9th, 2015, Chico Police Detectives located and arrested MICHAEL MANNING for possessing and manufacturing child pornography, resulting from evidence obtained from search warrants that were served at MANNING’S residences on September 3rd, 2015.  MANNING again posted bail and was released from Butte County Jail.

On September 6th, 2016, MICHAEL MANNING was scheduled to be sentenced in the Butte County Superior Court having pled No Contest to felony violations of 288(a) PC, two counts of 311.4(c) PC, and 311.11(c)(1) PC.  MANNING was out of custody on bail.

MANNING failed to appear in court, bail was forfeited, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. On October 7th, 2016, officers with the US Parks Service located a rental car leased to MANNING near the Golden Gate Bridge bearing a suicide note authored by MANNING.  MANNING’s body was not located.

Investigators began to monitor the behavior and patterns of a close associate of MANNING and observed what appeared to be sophisticated countersurveillance measures.

The search for MANNING extended through Chico, Yuba City, Sacramento, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and Alameda.  Chico Police Detectives requested assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force and the FBI.  The investigation continued to broaden in scope with indicators that MANNING’S close associate was involved in international travel.   Agents from the Marshal’s Service continued to monitor the behavior and developed leads regarding possibilities of MANNING’S location.

Residences, storage facilities, and vehicles tied to MANNING’S associate were frequently found full of personal propertyy, and hastily abandoned.  Investigators believed that on multiple occasions they had narrowly missed apprehending MANNING.  One of these incidents occurred at the Fortman Marina in Alameda, California.

 In April of 2019, agents with the US Marshal’s Service developed leads possibly linking MANNING’S location to Florida.   On May 3rd, 2019 at 1:30 AM (EST), Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies in Key West, Florida, responded to a burglary alarm at a business on the Stock Island Marina.

Deputies located a man living in an unlocked connex storage trailer adjacent to the property.  The man identified himself as WILLIAM WALLACE LITTLEJOHN, utilizing a Passport and US Navy ID Card.  Deputies determined the Passport and Navy ID were likely fraudulent.  Monroe County Deputies requested assistance from the US Navy, US Border Patrol, and the FBI.  The suspect’s identifying documents were determined to be fraudulent, and he was arrested.   While in the Monroe County Jail, the suspect underwent fingerprint analysis and was positively identified as MICHAEL MANNING.   MANNING remains in custody on no-bail warrants awaiting extradition to California.

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