Chief Prosecutor Michael Ernest requested the dismissal of the case during Manzanares’ arraignment last week.
Ernest declined to comment on “pending or potential future cases” when asked by this reporter about the government’s motion to dismiss the sexual abuse case.
Dismissal without prejudice means the prosecution can re-file the case against the defendant.
Assistant Public Defender Richard Miller served as Manzanares’ counsel.
Prior to the dismissal of the case, Manzanares had been on pretrial release after posting $10,000 appearance bond from the original $50,000 cash bail.
Manzanares was arrested last month on the charge that he raped his victim when she turned 16 at the defendant’s two-floor apartment complex behind Joeten Dandan.
The victim said she was introduced to the defendant by her sister when she was 10.
The victim described Manzanares as “kind, generous and very friendly,” police said.
The victim said she grew to trust Manzanares because he was so nice to her and the victim would often skip school and call Manzanares to pick her up at a nearby bus stop, police said.
Manzanares would pick up the victim and would take her to his apartment complex where they would hang out for the day, police said.
After the alleged rape, Manzanares dropped the victim back to her school, where she rode the bus in going home, police said.
Manzanares no longer saw the victim for several years after the incident.
Sometime last January, the victim told police she was at the Commonwealth Health Center where she met Manzanares. She asked him why he no longer tried to contact her.
Manzanares replied that “he was afraid she reported him to the police.”
