FRED DONALD MANNING, 58, of Spanaway, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to Shipment of Child Pornography. When MANNING is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Franklin D. Burgess on February 8, 2007, he faces a mandatory minimum five years in prison up to 10 years in prison.

According to the plea agreement, on April 25, 2007, MANNING put a posting on an internet website that caters to people who are sexually attracted to children. MANNING’s posting indicated he was sexually attracted to young girls and urged the mothers of young girls to contact him via email. An undercover agent working in Washington D.C. responded to the posting and claimed to be the mother of twin 7-year-old girls. In email exchanges MANNING described the various young girls he had molested and indicated he was still molesting children. MANNING asked the person he thought was the mother of twins to send him naked pictures of the girls and suggested they travel to Washington State. On July 25, 2007, MANNING sent the undercover agent an email with pictures of sexually explicit conduct with girls under the age of twelve.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office at (206) 553-4110.

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