Molesting Class Trip Dad Whispered Creepy Advances

The Connecticut man who was arrested during his son's fifth grade class trip after allegedly molesting some of the girls was arraigned yesterday. A prosecutor claims that Tomas Manzano, 35, told one girl, "You're so pretty - you should date my son so I can see you," while also drinking from a water bottle full of vodka.

Bail was set at $200,000, and the Post reports, "his wife sobbed and his 9-year-old son watched from the audience" when Manzano was held on sexual abuse charges. Prosecutors also claimed he "touched the cheeks, backsides and inner thighs of his victims and tickled their private parts," according to the Daily News.

Manzano's lawyer Paul Petrus argued, "For 35 years, my client has had no criminal convictions. And he's a family man. He's a husband. He's a regular middle-class man." He admitted that Manzano, who was laid-off as a clerical staffer from a law firm last year and had been teaching snowboarding, "wasn't perhaps in his usual self" but also called the allegations the kind of rumors that emerge when someone has been drinking around kids.

Manzano was one of dozens chaperoning fifth graders from Stillmeadow Elementary in the city. He was reportedly normal at the Central Park Zoo, but then was belligerent when confronted outside of Mars 2112. It took many police officers to subdue him.

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By Jen Chung in News on June 9, 2010 4:56 PM

Comments [rss]

FrankMartin

Um who does he teach snowboarding too? And where?

Cranky Old Man

He's 35 years old, so say 35 minus 18 equals, really only 17 years of a spotless criminal record. See how lawyers use out of context 'facts'?

justthinkin

He did this in front of his son? No way that he hasn't done this before, despite his lawyer's claim of a spotless record. Perversion of this nature doesn't just spontaneously pop up after 35 years of perceived normalcy,

turtlepower

cause history often repeats itself

oofstar

innocent until proven guilty?

why do we even have a criminal justice system.

turtlepower

what an ape.

fosiacat

accusation is just as bad as a conviction

chuzzlewit

"c'mon tommy we don't want to be late for your dad's arraignment on charges of molesting your classmates. this is a big day for all of us, but MAYBE most especially for you!"

amg2000

I'll be this kid wishes he'd never begged his father to come on a field trip!

r1b2

Eeewww, this is the grossest story ever.

theevilone

Why would you subject your 9 year old son to the court proceedings?

Phil

Exactly my response. Come on kid. Let's go watch your Dad get arranged for tickling your classmates' private parts. Kid doesn't stand a chance.

jaycjay

Considering he's being raised by this guy, the kid will probably end up in the system at some point. May as well start teaching him how it works.

robingee

Seriously! This poor kid.

jaycjay

"For 35 years, my client has had no criminal convictions. I'm a pretty good lawyer!"

Cannibal

whats worse, child molester or his defense lawyer?

Thespis

I know it's a cliche', but even the worst scumbag deserves a lawyer -- if only so that when we fry the scumbag, everyone in the world knows that he fried because he was guilty and not because he was railroaded or given bad legal advice.