Manhattan man convicted of 17 counts of child molestation in trial

A jury found a Manhattan man guilty of 17 counts of felony child abuse in Riley County District Court on Friday.

Tristian Gooden-Heit, 29, hung his head as Judge Grant Bannister announced the jury’s verdict Friday afternoon on 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of computer crime and one count of hindering prosecution by tampering with evidence. In 2022, Gooden-Heit stole the photos that a 14-year-old girl had sent to her boyfriend from the boyfriend’s phone. The boy was a resident of a residential home where Gooden-Heit worked as an employee.

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