Gulf Coast Sheriff denies being part of sex ring that involved children and a deputy
Updated Jul 3, 4:13 PM; Posted Jul 3, 3:22 PM59156 shares
By Christopher Harress | charress@al.com
The Escambia County Sheriff in Florida denied Wednesday being part of a sex ring that involved children and at least one of his deputies.
Sheriff David Morgan was recently named in a lawsuit brought by a daughter of two parents who were jailed in 2017 for a combined 55 years on various child abuse convictions. The lawsuit claims that Morgan may have been involved in the sex ring and because of political pressure hindered the internal investigation that involved two of his deputies.
Leah and Doug Manning, the parents of the plaintiff in the case against Sheriff Morgan, were jailed more than two years ago after it was discovered they had involved their then-juvenile twin daughters in group sex that involved at least one member of the sheriff’s department. An Escambia County deputy was sentenced to 30 years while another was cleared of any wrongdoing, according to previous reporting on the case.
Now the plaintiff in the civil case, one of the abused twin daughters, claims that Sheriff Morgan’s sexual involvement with her mother created a conflict of interest when it came to the Escambia County internal investigation regarding the sex ring. The plaintiff’s mother, Leah, said that she had sex with Morgan on multiple occasions but did not implicate him in having sex with either of her daughters, according to the lawsuit.
Sheriff Morgan said in a press conference Wednesday that he had never met Leah or Doug Manning.
“If I haven’t met someone, how can I have sex with them?” the sheriff said during Wednesday’s news conference.
In a previous statement, Morgan said that the allegations were based on on rumor and innuendo.
“These allegations are being brought by Leah Manning, a convicted felon serving 25 years for; three counts of sexual battery (solicitation of a child for sexual battery), sexual performance by a child, unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, two counts of failure to report child abuse, two counts of lewd and lascivious battery (victim 12-15 years of age), and battery,” Morgan’s statement said.
“Now, after more than two years of incarceration, she miraculously ‘remembers’ having also had a relationship with me in a case brought by her daughters. This suit is based on rumors and innuendo fueled by social media posts. Unfortunately, as a public official, I am subjected to any allegation simply by utterance of a word.”
Leah first talked of her relationship with Morgan back in 2015, according to the lawsuit.
Morgan is fighting the possibility he may have to give a deposition as part of the lawsuit against him.
In court filings, Morgan, who has been the sheriff since 2009, asked for immunity. His attorney claimed that the lawsuit is against the position Sheriff Morgan happens to hold and not against the person. It was also noted in the motion, filed more than a week ago, that a sheriff is not typically required to be part of a deposition and can designate a deputy to do it instead.
The lawsuit also indicates that external political pressures dissuaded Escambia County investigators from pursuing instances where consenting adults may have had sex as part of the sex ring. It was allegedly noted at the time that such an investigation was going down a “rabbit hole” and was “immaterial” to the sexual abuse against the children.
