KANSAS CITY, KAN. — A press release from the office of United States District Attorney Barry Grissom says former city attorney of Manhattan Bill Raymond is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., today on charges of distributing child pornography.
Raymond, 53, now of Andover, is charged with three counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in November 2014, February 2015 and May 2015 in Butler and Riley counties.
A federal grand jury indicted Raymond on Sept. 30.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years on each distribution count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Raymond become the city attorney for Manhattan in 2012 but was let go on Aug. 4, according to a report by the Manhattan Mercury.
Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers told the Mercury on Aug. 6 that Raymond’s employment with the city ended and he declined additional comment because it was a personnel matter.
Raymond’s name was then quickly erased from the city’s website, and Katie Jackson became the interim city attorney. Raymond had originally replaced Jackson, who resigned in 2012 after accepting a teaching position at K-State.
Raymond was previously the chief assistant county counselor for Sedgwick County.
