U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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April 2, 2002 Former Orland Hills Police Commissioner Charged in Operation Candyman Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of ANTHONY J. MANNINA III, age 36, of 9378 Meadow View Court, Orland Hills, Illinois. MANNINA was taken into custody late last night in Orland Hills, without incident, by FBI Agents and Officers from the Orland Park, Orland Hills and Palos Heights, Illinois Police Departments. MANNINA has been charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with Possession of Child Pornography, which is a felony offense. This arrest was part of the FBI's ongoing investigation into the proliferation of child pornography over the internet, which has been code named "Operation Candyman". To date, this investigation has resulted in criminal charges being filed against 93 individuals nationwide. MANNINA is the second Chicago area resident to be charged thus far. According to the complaint, MANNINA is alleged to have obtained pornographic images of children over the internet on an almost daily basis, during the past 2 - 3 years. During a search of MANNINA's residence, which was conducted late last month, a personal computer and computer components were seized. These items are still undergoing forensic examination. This investigation was conducted jointly by the Chicago FBI; the Orland Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy McCarthy and the Palos Heights Police Department, under the direction of Chief Howard Roseen. In announcing this arrest, SAC Kneir wants to thank these local departments for the invaluable assistance they provided during this investigation. MANNINA, who was the Police and Fire Commissioner of Orland Hills from 1999 until he resigned on March 27th of this year, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys at 12:30 PM, at which time he will be formally charged. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against MANNINA is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
