Hershey, Pennsylvania — A Hersheypark employee is facing charges after police said he responded to an online advertisement where he agreed to meet and have sex with a minor.
Officials said 49-year-old Keith Manwiller replied to an advertisement offering sex with juveniles for money in Berks County. He agreed to meet with who he thought was a juvenile but was actually an undercover officer. Manwiller faces several charges.
At the time of his arrest, Manwiller was an employee of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company (HE&R), working as a ride mechanic at Hersheypark as first reported by Drew Weidman of The Sun.
According to HE&R spokesman Quinn Bryner, Manwiller was immediately suspended when the company learned of the charges filed against him.
Bryner added, “Prior to his suspension, Mr. Manwiller held the position of Mechanical 2. He completed an initial background check when he was employed in 2008, again in 2019, as well as in 2022. All three background checks cleared without notice of any records, infractions or issues.”
A Father’s Day advertisement featuring Manwiller has recently been removed from Hersheypark’s website.
On Dec. 5, the Berks County District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Task Force conducted a sting operation to combat the illegal sex trade of underage victims in the Berks County area.
Manwiller was charged with trafficking individuals, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt corruption of minors and criminal attempted patronizing of prostitutes, according to charging documents.
A preliminary hearing in the case is schedule for Dec. 17 in front of District Judge Ann L. Young in Wernersville.
Harrisburg100 