Priest acquitted on sexual assault charges; guilty of contributing to delinquency of a minor

COLORADO
Gazette

By Lance Benzel Published: July 3, 2013

A Colorado Springs priest whose attorneys painted him as a “prime target for false allegations” was acquitted Wednesday of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old altar boy.

But the Rev. Charles Robert “Bob” Manning, 78, didn’t walk on all counts.

Despite his acquittal on the sex assault counts and child pornography charges, the now-retired clergyman was found guilty of two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a felony alleging that he supplied the boy with pot and alcohol.

Manning could face two to six years in prison, but is eligible for probation. Sentencing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sept. 26. He remains free on bond, and must report to the courthouse probation office Monday to begin requirements for a pre-sentencing report.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.