Formal charges were filed Wednesday against a local man who was arrested after Columbus police officers investigated a tip about a person sending pornographic images of a child and descriptions of criminal sexual acts involving a child on a social media site.
Nicholas Duane Hickman, 39, of 1641 Azelea Drive, Columbus, was booked into the Bartholomew County Jail at 1:48 p.m. Friday on preliminary charges of child exploitation, a Level 4 felony, and sexual battery, a Level 6 felony.
On Wednesday, Hickman was formally charged in Bartholomew Circuit Court by Prosecutor Bill Nash with the following charges:
- Level 4 felony child exploitation, accused of intentionally disseminating or exhibiting material depicting sexual conduct by a child under the age of 18, with the matter depicting or describing a child who is younger than age 12.
- Level 6 felony sexual battery, accused of touching a victim when the victim was unaware the touching was occurring.
- Level 6 felony strangulation, accused of intentionally applying pressure to the throat or neck of a victim that impeded normal breathing or blood circulation.
- Level 6 felony domestic battery, accused of touching a victim in a rude, insolent or angry manner and committing the act in the presence of a child younger than age 16.
- Class A misdemeanor distribution of an intimate image, accused of distributing an intimate image knowing that the victim did not consent to the distribution of said image.
Hickman is currently being held at the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, according to jail officials.
Columbus Police Department received the tip Friday morning and several detectives from the CPD Criminal Investigations Division were assigned to the case and began collecting evidence, which led them to Hickman, Columbus police said.
A search warrant was served and additional evidence was seized by investigators. After detectives interviewed Hickman, he was arrested at 12:49 p.m. Friday.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the Columbus Police Department at 812-376-2600. Tips and information can be left anonymously. Indiana law requires those who suspect a child to be victim of abuse or neglect to report it to authorities.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
