Former Tribal Police Officer, Wife Arrested After Years Of Alleged Child Abuse

Shawnee police arrested and booked Richard and Kathleen Mantooth on charges of child abuse and enabling child abuse, respectively. 

Richard Mantooth was an Absentee Shawnee police officer, according to Brad Gaylord, the chief of the department. 

“He is not an officer now,” he said. 

Gaylord said Mantooth’s employment with the department ended on March 15. An arrest warrant was issued for Mantooth and his wife on March 17. 

Shawnee police investigators allege Richard repeatedly attacked and injured multiple children and requested others to perform sexual favors. In total, police allege there are six victims. 

The probable cause affidavit includes notes from interviews from five of the children, most of whom lived with Mantooth during the alleged crimes. 

According to the affidavit, one child told police they suffered multiple cuts and bruises to the face. “Richard caused the injury by punching him in the face and running his head through the wall,” wrote Shawnee Police Detective Beau Bohuslavicky. 

Mantooth “choked” one of the victims, according to one witness interviewed by police. These attacks occurred “like two times a month.” 

The same witness told police Mantooth made repeated requests for sexual acts. On one occasion, he asked a female victim to perform oral sex on him to help alleviate pain caused by kidney stones. 

“(Mantooth) said he can do anything he wants to do to her and she couldn’t do anything about it,” police said in the affidavit. 

“That type of behavior is not tolerated particularly amongst police officers,” Gaylord said. “We’re all accountable for our actions. And if you make the decision to commit crimes, you’re going to be held accountable.” 

Kathleen Mantooth was arrested on charges of enabling child abuse. One witness told police “She has always had his back,” according to the affidavit. 

Both are in custody at the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center on bonds of $500,000. 

The Pottawatomie County District Attorney, Allan Grub, said official charges are pending his office’s review of police documents.