News (Media Awareness Project) - US PA: Ex-Officer Pleads No Contest In Sex Case |
| Title: | US PA: Ex-Officer Pleads No Contest In Sex Case |
| Published On: | 1999-05-12 |
| Source: | St. Petersburg Times (FL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-06 06:37:19 |
EX-OFFICER PLEADS NO CONTEST IN SEX CASE
The former Dade City police officer will serve between 11 1/2 and 23 months
in jail for having sex with a 13-year-old.
Douglas Nickels, a former Dade City police officer fired in disgrace in
1990, will serve at least 11 months in jail in Pennsylvania for having sex
with a 13-year-old girl.
Nickels, 51, whom police in York, Pa., accused of giving his victim liquor
in a child's sip cup, pleaded no contest to a charge of statutory sexual
assault.
He also didn't contest two counts each of corruption of minors and
furnishing alcohol to minors.
The two most serious charges, rape and aggravated sexual assault, were
dropped as part of a plea bargain. York police Detective Laura Walker said
Nickels' underage victim was too upset to testify at a trial.
"This is a pretty terrified little girl," Walker said. The girl was
assaulted while visiting Nickels from Florida on June 14.
Nickels will serve between 11 1/2 and 23 months in jail.
As a former Dade City assistant police chief, Nickels was convicted in 1991
of having sex with a 17-year-old girl and trying to hire a hit man to kill
fellow officer Doyle Springfield. Nickels apparently thought Springfield was
an informant.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing a rifle from a police armory and
supplying a girlfriend with confiscated marijuana.
One person not surprised by Nickels' latest conviction is Dade City police
Chief Phil Thompson. Thompson initiated the state investigation that led to
Nickels' arrest.
"He obviously had a serious problem and he still does," Thompson said. "I
have no sympathy for him."
The latest conviction stemmed from when Nickels entertained two Florida
girls, one 13 and the other 14, in his house last year.
Detectives said Nickels plied the girls with liquor to make them groggy.
Then he persuaded them to disrobe and lie on the floor. It was then that he
assaulted the younger of the two.
Once Nickels completes his jail term, Pennsylvania will extradite him to
Florida for violating his parole on the earlier convictions.
The former Dade City police officer will serve between 11 1/2 and 23 months
in jail for having sex with a 13-year-old.
Douglas Nickels, a former Dade City police officer fired in disgrace in
1990, will serve at least 11 months in jail in Pennsylvania for having sex
with a 13-year-old girl.
Nickels, 51, whom police in York, Pa., accused of giving his victim liquor
in a child's sip cup, pleaded no contest to a charge of statutory sexual
assault.
He also didn't contest two counts each of corruption of minors and
furnishing alcohol to minors.
The two most serious charges, rape and aggravated sexual assault, were
dropped as part of a plea bargain. York police Detective Laura Walker said
Nickels' underage victim was too upset to testify at a trial.
"This is a pretty terrified little girl," Walker said. The girl was
assaulted while visiting Nickels from Florida on June 14.
Nickels will serve between 11 1/2 and 23 months in jail.
As a former Dade City assistant police chief, Nickels was convicted in 1991
of having sex with a 17-year-old girl and trying to hire a hit man to kill
fellow officer Doyle Springfield. Nickels apparently thought Springfield was
an informant.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing a rifle from a police armory and
supplying a girlfriend with confiscated marijuana.
One person not surprised by Nickels' latest conviction is Dade City police
Chief Phil Thompson. Thompson initiated the state investigation that led to
Nickels' arrest.
"He obviously had a serious problem and he still does," Thompson said. "I
have no sympathy for him."
The latest conviction stemmed from when Nickels entertained two Florida
girls, one 13 and the other 14, in his house last year.
Detectives said Nickels plied the girls with liquor to make them groggy.
Then he persuaded them to disrobe and lie on the floor. It was then that he
assaulted the younger of the two.
Once Nickels completes his jail term, Pennsylvania will extradite him to
Florida for violating his parole on the earlier convictions.
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