A Reserve police officer first placed on administrative leave after being charged with dating violence in Florida is suspended without pay after being accused of retail theft at two stores in Ohio Township.
Manuel George Pihakis, 36, of Pittsburgh has been a police officer in Reserve since January 2025. He was advanced to permanent full-time status in February this year after completing a one-year probationary period.
On April 22, township police Chief Brandon Morgan said his department was made aware of allegations and the arrest of Pihakis while off duty and out of state.
In a statement, Morgan said Pihakis was on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. That leave was with pay.
On May 6, Pihakis was suspended without pay after Reserve commissioners became aware that Pihakis had been charged with a “serious misdemeanor” in another Allegheny County municipality.
The township cited the Pennsylvania Confidence in Law Enforcement Act, a 2004 law that prohibits individuals with felony or serious misdemeanor convictions from serving as law enforcement officers, and requires the immediate suspension of officers charged with such crimes and requires termination upon conviction.
Pihakis’ attorney in Florida, Justin Fahringer, did not respond to a request for comment.
David Zuckerman, an attorney representing Pihakis in the retail theft case in Ohio Township, declined to comment on his client’s behalf.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office charged Pihakis with battery on April 18 for incidents that a woman identified as his girlfriend of nine months alleged happened on April 17.
According to an arrest report, the woman said she and Pihakis had been “drinking in excess” at a pool when Pihakis became aggressive. She said he grabbed her forcefully, causing pain, and bit her on top of her shoulder.
The officer reported seeing redness and what appeared to be teeth impressions on her shoulder, the report states.
While at the home of Pihakis’ father, where they were staying, the woman said that, while Pihakis was sleeping, she found evidence on his phone that he had been unfaithful. She woke up Pihakis and told him she was leaving, the report states.
The woman said that while she was packing her belongings, Pihakis came up behind her and hit her with an open hand on the back of her head, the report states. She said Pihakis was standing over her while she was on her back on the floor, trying to take the phone from her. Pihakis retreated when she called for his father, according to the report.
Pihakis denied putting his hands on the woman but said he smacked his phone out of her hand to get it back, causing her to fall to the floor, according to the report.
He admitted to biting her earlier in the day but said it was not malicious, according to the report.
Ohio Township police charged Pihakis with two counts of retail theft on May 4, according to court records.
A misdemeanor count of retail theft alleges that Pihakis under-rang merchandise valued at about $283 at Target. A criminal complaint lists five incidents at Target on Jan. 23, Feb. 4, Feb. 12, Feb. 13 and May 1.
A summary count of retail theft alleges he under-rang merchandise valued at about $124 at Giant Eagle. The complaint lists him being involved in five incidents on Dec. 31, Jan. 10, March 1, April 8 and April 25.
The complaint names a woman as a co-defendant and that she was with Pihakis for the thefts on Jan. 10, April 8 and April 25 and by herself for one on March 17. However, no charges could be found in court records against the woman.
Police used surveillance footage from Target and Giant Eagle, the Advantage Card used at Giant Eagle and traffic cameras to identify Pihakis, the woman and the vehicles they were driving, according to the complaint.
Pihakis is scheduled for a preliminary hearing June 18 before District Judge Tara Smith, according to court records.