Lakewood cop who stole from fallen officers sentenced 33 months

The disgraced Lakewood cop who stole money from a fund for
the families of fallen officers has been sentenced to 33
months in a federal prison.

Skeeter Manos, 34, was also ordered to serve three years
supervised release and pay $159,000 in restitution

He embezzled $112,000 from the Fallen Officers Fund, which
was set up to benefit the families of four Lakewood police
officers shot to death in a coffee shop in 2009. In
addition, he stole more than $47,000 from the Lakewood
Police Independent Guild.

During sentencing, Manos apologized to those he had hurt.

“I’ve dishonored pretty much everybody that I’ve ever
liked or loved. I’ve dishonored my profession,” he said,
according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, whose office
turned the case over to the Department of Justice to avoid
a potential conflict of interest, called Manos’ actions
“as low as it gets.”

“A high-end sentence was clearly called for, and obviously
the judge agreed,” Lindquist said.

In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert
L. Bryan told Manos his crimes were “egregious.”

“Skeeter Manos’ betrayal runs wide and deep. He betrayed
the families of the fallen officers, his colleagues in the
Lakewood Police Department, and the community which
contributed to recognize the four who made the ultimate
sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan, who called
his greed “despicable.”

According to prosecutors, Manos used the funds to purchase
airlines tickets and to gamble.