A Connecticut police sergeant, previously engaged in youth work, ended his life mere hours after his own department arrested him on charges of allegedly luring a minor online. Sgt. Ryan Moan, 33, of Coventry, was taken into custody by the Manchester Police Department on Friday. He faced multiple charges related to the alleged online enticement, according to a department press release. The court quickly sealed his arrest warrant, leaving the details of his alleged offenses undisclosed.
Moan, a seven-year veteran of the force, was released on a $450,000 bond and was due for arraignment on Jan. 3. However, he did not survive to attend his court hearing. Moan had been serving as the school resource officer in the town’s public schools, as reported by 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 their arrival, they found 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 work with the medical examiner to ascertain the cause of death.
Moan, who joined the force in 2017, was put on unpaid leave on Nov. 18 after the allegations surfaced. 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.”