By Chad Nance
Editor’s Note: Yes, this article is long, but considering the accusations, the large number of emails we received about this story, and the nature of the people involved we felt it best to provide our readers with 100% of the context.
Right-wing blogs, facebook, and extremist “patriot” websites have been buzzing for the last week over claims that have been made by a Kernersville resident and self-proclaimed pastor named Tim D. Manning. Among other accusations Manning has contended that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office has a “hit” out on his son, Christopher, and that they raided his house using flash bang grenades and a dynamic entry that left his front door in splinters. Manning claims that the reason his son and himself have been targeted is that he is a “Southern Nationalist”. Manning claims that he was held for three hours and tortured by the Forsyth County Sheriff Deputies.
According to a rambling account that Manning placed on-line agents with the Department of Homeland Security, and the Kenersville Police Department carried out a militarized raid on his home. According to Manning:
They busted-in my front door of this $300,000+ home and busted-in a set of rear French doors. Then they set a diversionary explosive grenade in my entrance hallway. I had gone too the top of the stairs to see what was happening at my front door. They did not announce themselves. When the explosive went off I got flat on the second floor carpet seeing that there were too many people here to successfully resist. The noise was so close I thought I had been shot. I was only about 10 feet away from the device. It blew pictures off of my walls, broke glass inside of the house and blew my heating and air controls off of the wall in the hall and blew on of the batteries into the kitchen. The house is a wreck.
I am much overweight and they forced me to lie on my stomach on the floor for over 30 minutes. My physician has said to not rest on my stomach since it puts unnecessaary pressure on my heart. I sleep on my back. I was then handcuffed and was not permitted to witness the search or use my cell phone. My knee and my back are now in much pain. I do not have the money for a trip to the ER and will phone my doctor tomorrow and find a chiropractor. My left and right knee’s are also injuried and really hurting. My neck and shoulder are very sore due to being shoved into my carpet by a Deputy. I just took 8 IBP for pain. I am too tired and frustrated to go to the ER tonight. They also took some of my Virginia Heritage Foundation historical articles about the South that I use where I go to speak. They mentioned “Manning says bad things about the government.”
Two men were Police from Kernersville, NC and one with a vest that said Homeland Security Investigation. Some were in plain clothes and the rest in Forsyth County Sheriffs gear.
While this all sounds suitably apocalyptic, very few facts creep into the narrative. According to the North Carolina Department of Insurance (the primary investigating agency) and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office there were no members of any Federal Agency when they executed the search warrant. Besides that confirmation Manning’s assertion that officers had “vests” (Manning told CCD they were tactical vests) on which read “Homeland Security Investigation” is impossible. The Department of Homeland Security using the designation “DHS” on their wind-breakers and tactical gear and if any Federal Agent would have been involved in the Manning raid it would have been the ATF due to his son’s history of making threats with guns.
According to Captain Bowman with the Kernersville Police Department there were no KPD officers that participated in serving the warrant. In fact, Manning’s address, while a Kernersville address for postal service is not actually inside of the Kernersville city limit. Lt. Christopher Lowder with the WSPD confirmed that no Winston-Salem Police officers assisted in serving the warrant as Manning’s house is also outside of their jurisdiction.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they did execute a search warrant on Manning’s home. CCD spoke with Chief Deputy Brad Stanley and he referred most questions to the North Carolina Department of Insurance as they were the lead agency on the operation. “We assisted them in the service of the warrants.” Chief Stanley said. “This warrant was served in the best interest of the public and we did so within the bounds of the law.” Because the case remains open Stanley was limited in what he could say regarding specifics.
CCD spoke with Kerri Hall, the director of Public Information for the NC Department of Insurance. She could also not go into specifics regarding the raid, but she confirmed that there were no “homeland security” agents of any kind involved in serving the warrant and praised the work of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.
What prompted the investigation?
The target of warrant was not Tim D. Manning, it was his son Christopher Manning who according to a press release from the NCDOI:
Department of Insurance criminal investigators allege that on April 18, while working as a licensed bail bondsman, Manning attempted to enter the Forsyth County Hall of Justice and conduct business while impersonating a law enforcement officer with the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The investigation was conducted with the assistance of the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office and the Winston Salem Police Department.
Manning was arrested on May 1 in Greensboro where he was processed and released on a promise to appear in court.
According to Lankford Security officer J. Boger II and Forsyth County Deputy Lt. Brown, on April 18th Christopher Manning came into the Forsyth County Court House wearing a badge around his neck that appeared to be similar to the kind of badge sported by US Marshals. Christopher was also wearing an empty firearm holster and two pairs of steel handcuffs. His father Tim D. Manning was with him and proceeded to use a cell phone to video-record what happened after the younger Manning began to make a scene.
The officers, per posted court house policy, advised Christopher Manning (who has been seen wearing fake police style tactical gear to the court house previously) that he could not bring the handcuffs or handcuff keys into the court house. Manning stated that he is sworn through the State Department of Insurance and that he had a meeting with the District Attorneys’ Office. The Officers told Manning that he could go up to the DA’s office but would not be bringing the handcuffs or handcuff keys. It was at this point that Christopher Manning and his father Tim Manning began to record the encounter with security and deputies. Manning and his father were told to leave to leave and they complied.
This incident was not the only contact 24 year-old Christopher David Manning has had with law enforcement. The warrant was served after a pattern of behavior that includes being convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2012 in Greensboro and an April 2013 incident where Christopher Manning pointed a loaded 9mm handgun at a 14 year-old boy’s face and claimed to be law enforcement. Manning’s criminal record in North Carolina stretches back to 2007 and includes a conviction for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and a misdemeanor assault charge.
On April 7th Christopher Manning pointed his loaded, 9mm pistol at a 14 year-old Kernersville boy’s face. Michael Troxler, the young man‘s uncle, told investigators that his son and two nephews had been over at their grandparent’s house located at 7740 Abington Dr. on Sunday afternoon. While at their grandparents house the three boys went outside to play in the woods with their air soft guns. While in the woods, the three boys were approached by two adult males brandishing handguns. The two men were later established to be Christopher and Frank Huston. Manning was carrying a loaded 9mm pistol and Huston was carrying a loaded .40 cal pistol.
According to Michael, one of the males (Christopher) pointed a handgun in the face of his nephew, Tyler Troxler. Manning told the boy that was a law enforcement officer and asked for the three boys’ personal information to include addresses, phone numbers and full names. Manning then used a cell phone to take a picture of all three boys stating that he needed to have a picture of them for future identification purposes.
In addition to the assault and bullying of the boys under false pretenses, Michael stated that his father, James Troxler, had received a phone call from Christopher Manning. Forsyth County Deputy Pipkin spoke with Michael’s father, James Troxler. According to James, he received a phone call on Friday, April 12th from a man who identified himself as “Chris Manning.” Manning told James that he was an agent with the North Carolina Department of Insurance and he had been conducting “fugitive” training in the woods behind Abington. He further stated that he was concerned for the safety of James’s grandsons. James told Chris that he “understood he pointed a gun” at Tyler. To this comment Chris simply responded that the boys no longer needed to play in the woods.
Deputy Pipkin then made contact with Jeff Troxler, Tyler’s father. Troxler stated that Tyler had been very shaken up by the assault that Sunday. Tyler’s father told the deputy that he and his family wanted to do whatever they needed to do to make sure that “Chris Manning” did not do this again.
Deputy Pipkin ran Chris Manning’s name which came up an address of 160 Longbridge Dr. located in a cul de-sac behind the Troxler residence. According to law enforcement data bases, Chris Manning has an extensive history and is known to be an armed perpetrator so Deputy Pipkin called for backup before questioning Manning.
Manning told Pipkin that he is an agent with the North Carolina Department of Insurance (He is not) and that he conducts training in the woods for the purpose of fugitive apprehension. Pipkin asked Manning if he had a badge and he answered “yes“. Pipkin told Christopher that she would like to see the badge and requested that we go with him to get it. Manning said that he would go get the badge but stated that the deputies were “not allowed in [his] house.” While Christopher Manning retrieved his badge, Sgt. Gilbertson and Pipkin stood on the porch.
Manning came back with a badge that read, “NC Department of Insurance, Agent.” The badge was on a lanyard. In addition to the badge Manning produced two forms of employment identification. One ID from the NC Department of Insurance indicated that Chris is “authorized to act as a surety bail bondsman.” The other ID was similar but with a signature of the Department of Insurance commissioner, Wayne Goodwin.
During the conversation Christopher Manning grew emboldened and arrogant bragging to the two Deputies that he “knows every law enforcement officer in the area” and that “[they] must be new.”
When Deputy Pipkin asked if Manning if he was a sworn law enforcement officer, Chris told her that he was not but that he had “more jurisdiction than Sheriff’s deputies do and more jurisdiction and power than U.S. Marshals.” Manning boasted to the deputies that that he routinely conducts warrantless searches on people.
In reference to his handgun, Manning indicated that he openly carries a firearm all of the time. Christopher Manning denied having pointed a weapon at Tyler. ln regards to the “training in the woods“, Manning stated that he was far out in the woods and did not feel that it was safe for children to be playing out there. When Deputy Pipkin asked why, Chris stated that “a lot of people hunt out there” at which time Deputy Pipkin pointed out that it is currently not hunting season.
Manning then back-tracked telling Deputy Pipkin that it is not safe in the woods because of barbed wire and old houses that could be dangerous if children played in them.
Toward the end of their conversation with Chris, Manning bragged that he often worked with Det. Shaver on a regular basis and told Deputy Pipkin he would give her Det. Shaver’s phone number if she wanted it. Deputy Pipkin told Manning that she already had Det. Shaver’s number and wouldn’t be needing his help with that. Manning was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. It would be Shaver who would help identify Christopher Manning’s car and other details for investigators.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office’s contact with Manning did not end there. A few days later on April 20th Christopher Manning went into Safe On Seven to file for a 50-C restraining order against Forsyth County Deputy Greta Vaughn to, in his words, giver her “proper warning“- implying that he would feel valid doing harm to the deputy if she ever came to his father‘s home again.
According to Stephanie Gimenez, Manning told her that he was an undercover agent and she could not remember if Mr. Manning said he was a federal agent or that she just assumed he was because Mr. Manning told her that Deputy Vaughn had no authority over him and that he could have arrested her at anytime he wanted to. Gimenez reported that Manning made several statements about the “castle doctrine“. (readers will remember this from the Travon Martin case) Gimenez asked him what the “castle doctrine” was and Manning told her that he could use lethal force to protect himself and his property.
Gimenez told investigators that Manning said that he could use either the “castle doctrine” or his training and authority over Deputy Vaughn. Manning then told her that he wanted to file a 50-C to give Deputy Vaughn “proper warning“. Miss Gimenez said Manning then told her that this was not the first time that he had an incident with a deputy Sheriff. Manning said that deputy Sheriffs do not have the training nor do they understand his job and what he does. Manning told her that this would not be the first time that he got a deputy Sheriff fired.
Miss Gimenez was asked by investigators if after speaking with Mr. Manning did she feel that he was presenting himself to be in law enforcement? She answered “yes“. Gimenez told investigators that after all of the statements he had made, she believed Manning was law enforcement.
On April 26th 2013 Forsyth County Deputy Shinault was walking past the receptions desk in the District Attorneys Office. The receptionist was on the phone and the deputy heard her tell the person she was talking to hold on. The receptionist asked Shinault to speak with the person on the phone because they had a complaint about the deputies who work in the court house. Deputy Shinault answered the phone then spoke with a male subject who identified himself as Christopher Manning.
Manning told Deputy Shinault that he did not like the way he had been treated when he attempted to come into the courthouse the day that he had claimed to be an agent with the NCBOI. Manning told the deputy that he had been denied access by the “rent a cops” and deputies while trying to file legal paperwork. Manning said that he had two forms of legal identification one being an ID with the North Carolina Seal indicating he works for The Department of Insurance. Deputy Shinault asked him what agency he worked for. Manning said “The Department of Insurance“. Christopher then stated that he would not tolerate the “cowboyish behavior” from the deputies and the “rent a cops” displayed by surrounding him and refusing to let him enter the courthouse.
At this point Judge William Z. Wood signed the warrant for the search. The warrant application ends with the following:
Also, due to the fact Christopher David Manning has displayed a weapon and made comments concerning his authority to use deadly force on his property the Affiant request the court to issue a “No Knock” Search Warrant for the protection of officers executing the courts order.
Seized when the warrant was served was the following:
- 1 TW-301 Heavy Duty Stun Guns
- 2 Empty Boxes for TW-301 Heavy Duty Stun Guns
- 2 Fifty Round Boxes of 9mm Ammo
- 1 NC Sheriff’s Association Brochure
- 1 Handcuff Holder with Handcuffs
- 1 Handcuff Holder with a Fully Loaded 9mm Magazine
- 1 Leather Handcuff Holder – Black
- 1 Black Nylon Handcuff Holder
- 2 Nylon Chemical Spray Holders
- 2 Nylon Expandable Baton Holders (Manning was convicted of hitting someone in the head in August of 2012 in Greensboro- the weapon was an ASP Expandable Baton.)
- 1 Expandable Baton
- 2 Black Nylon Knife Sheathes Containing Three Knives
- 1 Brown Leather Knife Sheath with Knife
- 1 Small Tactical Flashlight
- 1 Folding Lock Blade knife
- 2 Handcuff Keys
- 1 Black Pistol Holster
- 1 Colt MK4 Series 80 Pistol SN:5506756E with a fully loaded mag
- 1 Badge Holder
- 2 Emergency Lights (One Labeled “Blue”, One “Red”)
- 1 Lock Blade Knife
What About Tim Manning?
This article has not focused on Tim Manning because when Deputies served the warrant at Tim and Christopher Manning’s house near Kernersville they were not there because of Tim Manning, his conspiracy laden, extremist on-line rantings, his Confederate apologist hobby, or his South Carolina “Southern History” store. The “Gub’ment” hadn’t finally shown up for Tim Manning because he has been preaching the Constitutionalist truth from the high places and making the powers that be nervous. The North Carolina Department of Insurance and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant on the known residence of a 24 year-old petty criminal known for weapons, violent threats, and impersonating a police officer. Manning had already implied that he would use violence against law enforcement officers and in the final analysis… anyone who would point a loaded weapon at the face of a 14 year-old boy is capable of any number of violent acts.
CCD caught up with Tim Manning by phone on Monday. When asked about the night the warrant was served Manning corrected me and said that no warrant had been served. I told him that I was holding the warrant and the list of items seized at his home. “A warrant was served.” He said slurring his words, “But it wasn’t legal.”
I asked him how he was feeling since the incident. I’m still sore.” Manning said. “I’ve been seeing a chiropractor. My knees hurt where they threw me on the ground. They used a form of torture on me that is only used by our military and intelligence services.”
When asked about the “Homeland Security” agents who raided his home, Manning said that they had vest on that read, “Homeland Security Investigation”. I asked if they were tactical vest or wind-breakers. “Tactical” Manning answered. Did they read “Homeland Security Investigation” I asked. “I don’t know. I can’t remember. Part of the nature of it is to try to confuse the victim.”
“Sir,” I asked, “Are you currently on some kind of medication.”
“Yes.” Manning slurred, “I’m on the way to the hospital for a procedure not related to the raid.”
CCD asked if Manning could send us photos of the damage and proof that grenades and explosives had been used. As of press time we have received nothing. This article was written because Manning made some very serious charges regarding the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department and other State and Federal Agencies, including the accusation that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department had a “hit” out on Christopher Manning. Nothing in CCD’s investigation, conversations with law enforcement, or conversations with Manning indicates in any way that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department and the State Department of Insurance did anything in the case of Christopher Manning except their jobs.
