Letter: Patrol won’t review ‘already investigated’ case from CPD
Policies against reviewing cases “already investigated” kept the Missouri State Highway Patrol from taking Columbia Police Department’s internal review of its relationship with Barry Manthe.
A letter obtained from the Missouri State Highway Patrol by ABC 17 News sheds light into why the patrol declined to review documents put together by CPD this year.
The department launched the effort following a YouTube documentary series titled “Police Protected Pimp,” which explored the decades-long prostitution business Manthe ran in Boone County, and Manthe’s ties to CPD. The documentary claims that police officers shielded Manthe from prosecution in exchange for information about drug sales in the area, which Manthe leveraged against women that used his home for prostitution.
The letter from Col. Eric Olson dated May 16 said the patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control could not review the work done by CPD because of patrol guidelines. The police department asked the patrol to review its work in late April.
“The Missouri State Highway Patrol has guidelines we must follow concerning investigative requests,” Olson wrote. “One such requirement is that the request has not been previously investigated. I understand Lieutenant Ethan Ahren, of our Division of Drug and Crime Control, spoke with you concerning this request and has answered all of your questions. I regret that we are not able to extend our assistance in this matter; and are unable to approve your request at this time.”
Neither DDCC nor patrol headquarters spokesperson Capt. John Hotz responded to a request for comment on the decision on Tuesday.
Interim police Chief Geoff Jones did not respond to a request for comment on what he will do next with the case review.
Jones has previously pushed back against the series’ claim that CPD covered up a sex trafficking operation. Jones said in a February interview that he was not sure what level of control Manthe may have had over the women using his Vandiver Drive home for sex work, and would look into it as part of the internal review.
