Greencastle man held on 5 counts of sexual misconduct
A 47-year-old Greencastle man is facing multiple counts of sexual misconduct with a pair of 14-year-old females following his arrest Saturday evening at his residence.
During an initial hearing Monday in Putnam Superior Court, Mark D. Nichols entered a not-guilty plea on the five counts of sexual misconduct with a minor.
The incidents reportedly occurred between March 1 and April 1 this year at the ResCare facility known as the Miller Jones Home at 1538 Bloomington St.
"Basically he was a child care worker working nights," Greencastle City Police Det. Randy Seipel said, adding that the alleged acts occurred after normal quiet hours at the facility.
Nichols was arrested at his East Walnut Street residence at 6:27 p.m. Saturday after a warrant for his arrest was issued Friday. That came after he failed to show up for an appointment he had made to speak with Seipel at GPD headquarters.
The alleged incidents were disclosed during a counseling session with one of the victims, Seipel said, during which time she reportedly supplied the name of a second victim.
Nichols was reportedly the only child care worker on duty at times, and he allowed the girls to hang out with him in the living room.
The first victim said she and a few others had "hung out with Mr. Nichols" the Friday before the initial incident of sexual misconduct allegedly occurred.
The victim told police she was sitting on the couch with Nichols and he reportedly began rubbing his feet against her side, placing one of her feet in his lap, the probable cause affidavit noted.
He then reportedly asked the girl to go upstairs and get a blanket, which she did. When Nichols suggested they "have sex," the victim said she feared telling him no because she didn't want him to turn the tables on her and get her in trouble.
The probable cause affidavit indicates Nichols touched the girl in a sexual manner that escalated into intercourse and other sexual activity.
The second victim told a similar story of a reported encounter with Nichols on or about March 30.
She said she was up late and went downstairs to the living room with two other girls who eventually went to bed. Meanwhile, she stayed there and covered herself with a blanket because she was cold.
The second girl said Nichols also covered himself but began to poke her thigh and touch her while telling her what kind of girls he likes.
When the teenager fell asleep on the couch, Nichols allegedly began touching her both over and under her clothing, also taking her hand and making her touch him, she told authorities.
Nichols, according to the probable cause document, then pulled down the girl's pants and proceeded to intercourse.
The second purported victim subsequently moved to a different home within the ResCare system, however, Nichols would come over and see her, she told authorities, and "on some occasions" he reportedly fondled her while they were in the laundry room.
Nichols is being held at the Putnam County Jail on $20,000 cash-only bond. No trial date has been set.