A Connecticut police officer, who was previously involved in youth work, took his own life just hours after being arrested by his own department on charges of allegedly enticing a minor online. The Manchester Police Department arrested Sgt. Ryan Moan, 33, from Coventry, on Friday, charging him with several offenses related to the alleged online enticement, as per a department press release. The court promptly sealed his arrest warrant, leaving the specifics of his alleged crimes undisclosed.
Moan, a seven-year veteran of the force, was released on a $450,000 bond and was scheduled for arraignment on Jan. 3. However, he did not live to see his court date. Moan had been serving as the school resource officer in the town’s public schools, according to the Hartford Courant.
Local police in the neighboring town of Vernon responded to a welfare check at a boat launch on Hatch Hill Road around 1:45 p.m. on Friday. Upon arrival, they discovered Moan deceased in his car, the result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“There is no threat to the public and the incident remains under investigation,” stated Lt. Robert Marra of the Vernon police. He added that the police will collaborate with the medical examiner to determine the cause of death.
Moan, who joined the force in 2017, was placed on unpaid leave on Nov. 18 after the allegations came to light. He was charged with risk of injury to a minor/impairing morals of a child, enticing a minor by computer, misrepresentation of age to entice a minor, and tampering with physical evidence, according to the department. The charges were not related to his work as a police officer, and the alleged victim is not a student or resident of Manchester, a department representative clarified.
Following the arrest, Manchester officials expressed their shock and outrage at the alleged actions. “Comments will be limited given the ongoing investigation, but the town is committed to full transparency,” town manager Steve Stephanou and police Chief Police William Darby said in a joint statement. They added, “The alleged actions are in complete contrast to MPD’s values of integrity, compassion, and fairness and do not reflect the professionalism and dedication of the officers who make up the department.”