Delco Swat Officer Charged as Wife-Beater, Chesco DA Says
Chester County DA says the defendant was a police officer and SWAT team member from Chester.
Chester County District Attorney announced the prosecution of two West Chester men who in separate domestic abuse cases. Lirim Rufati (left) was charged with aggravated assault and rape. Ernest Manerchia (right) was charged with aggravated assault and ordered to surrender dozens of firearms.
Chester County District Attorney's Office
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Editor's note: The story below contains language some readers might find upsetting. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan announced Monday the arrests of two men in separate domestic assault cases.
Ernest Manerchia, 57, of West Chester, is a police officer in the City of Chester, Delaware County, and a member of the SWAT team. According to the DA, on the evening of Jan. 11, Manerchia slapped his wife and began to strangle her before she broke free and hid in the bathroom.
Manerchia was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and related charges. Bail was originally set at $7,500 and Manerchia was ordered to surrender all firearms and stay away from the residence.
Manerchia posted bail and surrendered 45 firearms to PSP. However, PSP subsequently discovered that Manerchia had covertly maintained possession of multiple firearms and had returned to the residence to confront [his wife].
His bail was then raised to $350,000 cash, and he was remanded to Chester County Prison.
"These arrests were excellent work under difficult circumstances by the West Goshen Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police," Hogan said in a press release. "Domestic violence cases can accelerate from arguments to homicides in the blink of an eye."
