Greencastle man held on 5 counts of sexual misconduct

Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Mark Nichols

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.

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  • Maybe we should all stop thinking about what it is we want for this town in material items and start thinking what is best for the residents (as in children) here in Putnam County. How many child molesters have we had in the last five years? How many thieves, yes thieves, have we had in the last five years? Stop holding these people in the jail while they await their trial date to be set. Advertise that they are going to be released so someone can get to them first! This county needs to step up and show that we will not tolerate this disgusting and filthy type of behavior. End of story!They all get a slap on the wrist and it keeps happening. Laughing stock, that's what we are when it comes to these pieces of you know what and the common thieves that we have in this county. It's time to put a stop to all of this behavior and show them if they do the crime they do the time.

    -- Posted by putcocvb on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 8:03 AM
  • absolutely disgusting!!!

    -- Posted by cds1305 on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 9:48 AM
  • Oh yeah, and I DON'T WANT TO HEAR that he is on administrative paid leave! Stand up Putnam County, it's about time you start voicing your concerns and get this stopped. Start attending everyone one of these bastards hearings.

    -- Posted by putcocvb on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 10:04 AM
  • Lock him away in the State Penn with the general population and not with other molesters...the general population at the penn will take care of him!!!!!!

    -- Posted by clgruener on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 10:52 AM
  • What I do not understand at all, in this day and age, is why it was even plausible for ResCare to employ a male in an overnight/evening staff position in a female facility. I do hope that they review their policies so that scenarios like this are never even possible. No way should an adult male be in this type of position without at least having a second employee present at all times.

    -- Posted by workingmomma on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 12:37 PM
  • wow! banner, the amount of graphic detail in the article was not only disgusting, but also very unnecessay, especially because children were involved. I would like to know who from the greencastle police is getting paid off to provide this "evidence" to the banner. Very disappointing and unethical journalism.

    -- Posted by Eva20 on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 12:49 PM
  • i think this article is very disrespectful to all of the families involved. they have went way past the line of being ok with the details they have provided! i pray for all involved

    -- Posted by vmullins on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 1:15 PM
  • Eva 20

    Maybe we need the details, just reading someone got arrested make us feel "nothing really bad happened". Seeing it in print tells us its more than a misundersanding

    It opens our eyes to a growing problem in our county.

    -- Posted by putcocvb on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 1:42 PM
  • While I was employed at ResCare, male staff were not only not allowed to work the night shift at the girls home; but not allowed to transport females alone. To protect both the residents from potential harm, and the workers from accusations.

    -- Posted by lskelton2 on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 4:04 PM
  • I am one oth girls father and as the details are detailed if dint know this place was such baddly ran then this kinda problem wsould have happen again.One of the girls did report a little after it happen I did report this guy waswatchingfg my daughter at nite sleep and I did not like it.neither time was anything done to stop it not even by her Social Worker who would have no time to help her just discaplin her when she was doing wrong.This should have nevr happen and nothing was done to prevent it in the first place. The state removed the teen from us only cause I'm Transgender the state dint like it so they had her removed from our care.I repoted this to ny daughter's social worker by email. The social worker said " I don't need to worry about her shes in good care" she was until they used hate on myself by there lies of she wasn't getting disaplen in my home right rules wasnt inforced. Lies just a work around the fact I am Gay and they wouldnt have plaed her with us have they knew it prior to placement.

    -- Posted by staciej on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 5:08 PM
  • wow..spellcheck anyone??

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts=idiot on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 7:38 PM
  • and why is it that no matter what happens, some moron always lays blame on the local police. wow, lets see, a molester gets caught and put in jail...but wait **** The police...thats what is wrong with this community.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts=idiot on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 7:39 PM
  • I feel dumber for having read these comments..

    -- Posted by Reader2 on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 8:26 PM
  • sorry I also have Seconday Multiple Scelrosis leaves me no feelings in my fingers (Makes it hard to type at times). I'm not blaming police in anyway not even all of the DCS just the Marion County branch that used hate to remove a child from a loving home all because they found out I was Transgender and refused her care to us cause of hate driven reasoning. If the police is what anyone thought when I said state, I meant DCS state program that put this teen in danger and ResCare facility who would allow female girls to be watched by male employees they hire off the street who apply for the job without background checks.

    -- Posted by staciej on Wed, Jul 11, 2012, at 11:03 PM
  • If someone was murdered, I do not need to know every graphic detail to understand the severity of the case. The same goes with child molesting. We all know why the details were released and it was to keep the gossip mill turning. Really disappointing as I said earlier.

    -- Posted by Eva20 on Thu, Jul 12, 2012, at 1:53 AM
  • I agree after seeing how it spread to facebook and I cant go on my facebook without getting hit with questions about it and the hurt after reading this again is making me sick of my stomach a simple he is being held on 6 counts of sexual missconduct to two female children aged 14 that happen in the ResCare home late night early morning what his bond is set at and that would have been enough.

    -- Posted by staciej on Thu, Jul 12, 2012, at 4:57 AM
  • AND AS FOR EVA20, IF THAT WAS YOUR DAUGHTER THAT HAD BEEN MOLESTED, WOULDN'T YOU WANT ALL THE INFORMATION NOTED FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE? AS FOR BLAMING THE GREENCASTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT...THAT MAKES NO SENSE. OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE BEEN ARRESTED RECENTLY AND HAVE A BIG CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU ARE "MOTHER OF THE YEAR" EITHER.....YOU ARE DISGUSTING.

    -- Posted by lhmh on Fri, Jul 13, 2012, at 12:05 AM
  • @ uttersillyness....you owe staciej an apology for your rude spell check remark. Even if there wasn't an underlying reason for the errors, remarks such as those are mean and uncalled for.

    @ staciej....retain a good lawyer and go after the social worker and ResCare for not listening to your initial concerns. Good luck.

    @ the children of Mark Nichols....I am sorry you must go through this. You are great kids.

    -- Posted by kbmom on Fri, Jul 13, 2012, at 9:45 AM
  • This level of detail is unnecessary and unprofessional. Please rewrite this story.

    -- Posted by Ready2Go on Fri, Jul 13, 2012, at 3:45 PM
  • every single one of you really need to get a life! the only question i have for this case is ..if this happened in march or april, why in july is something being done? waiting to see how many other innocent children he can hurt? Now you all can find something negative to say about my comment too!

    -- Posted by crazyme on Sat, Jul 14, 2012, at 3:03 AM
  • @staciej: Find an attorney who specializes in fathers' rights. Taking children away from their fathers is profitable for the state; it brings in federal money.

    -- Posted by blackhound on Sat, Jul 14, 2012, at 1:38 PM
  • My previous post was deleted (don't know why, I didn't say anything untrue or derrogitory). I do know everyone that is involved and pray for each of you. Hugs to the girls.

    -- Posted by NCgramma on Mon, Jul 16, 2012, at 2:02 PM
  • absolutely disgusting

    -- Posted by armygirl172009 on Wed, Jul 18, 2012, at 9:35 PM
  • I also agree that the amount of detail in this article is TOTALLY ridiculous and sick. SOOOO not needed!

    My heart goes out to these young girls and the family of the suspect. My prayers are with you all.

    -- Posted by John3:16 on Thu, Jul 19, 2012, at 4:44 PM
  • it took that long cause i did not get the information from my daughter till a week before arrest of the accused. My daughter contacted me with the infomation affraid cause she stated " she reported him and after she complained of him visiting her still. rescare workers did nothing besides firing him." It took me to contact her social worker to had any thing done . Rescare was upset with her told her it was taken care of there way. ( understand my daughter can not have any contact with her mom or I till she turns 18) As f0r lawyer they say no case since only have 2 months to make a claim. DCS lied to us told us in two months we could try again for placement so we waited.

    -- Posted by staciej on Sat, Jul 21, 2012, at 11:57 AM
  • This man is innocent. I was at that facility for two years. Those girls lie, manipulate, do anything they can to get attention. Right off the bat if I saw this article and didn't know him or the situation I would be completely disgusted and most men accused of this crime are guilty. But he isn't. He was an amazing staff that me and other kids could go to for advice. He needs to be set free.

    -- Posted by #bearcub on Fri, Sep 13, 2013, at 10:05 PM
  • This man has been in Putnam jail 522 days. And there is no trial in sight.This is a case of accusations.He should never have been placed in that situation.I believe he has been setup.I found out his trial has been continued 5 times. What ever happened to a fast and speedy trial? These are wayward girls, and should be taken with a grain of salt.What a awful report in the Banner playing Judge for the public.Where is jury going to be picked here in Putnam county? I can't believe you published such graphic article.Shame on the editor of your Newspaper

    -- Posted by bernadine mohler on Sun, Dec 1, 2013, at 11:32 PM
  • This man has been in Jail for more than 2 years. What is wrong with the the court system in this county? This is not a fast and speedy trial.This is possibly a injustice of the accused.Any lawyers willing help this man?

    -- Posted by bernadine mohler on Sun, Aug 17, 2014, at 7:29 PM
  • Bernadine Mohler---"Wayward girls" stil should NOT be foundled or kissed, or touched by a GROWN MAN. These girls, no matter how "bad" they are, should have never been sitting on a couch, with a grown man, who is in a position of power over them, with a blanket covering them! HE put himself in that position, so he's the perverted idiot who deserves to ROT in jail, prison, chain gang, whatever for the rest of his life. Shame on YOU for even suggesting that b/c these girls have made bad choices, that they shouldnt be believed. Also, they are more likely to accept the attention of a grown man, since they are "wayward" but they are CHILDREN, & arent responsible for their choices like HE is. Ridiculous that you would even mention that. Again, he is an idiot for putting himself in that position. Obviously he has issues for wanting attention from teenage GIRLS.

    -- Posted by truthis on Sat, Aug 23, 2014, at 9:09 AM
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