A local man accused of offering individuals an opportunity to perform sex acts with young girls will remain behind bars for now.
Four felony charges were filed Aug. 28 against Nicholas Duane Hickman, 39, who was initially ordered held without bond after his Aug. 23 arrest. Bond for the former Azealea Drive resident was later set at $500,000 surety or $50,000 cash.
Following a 20-minute bond reduction hearing on Monday, Bartholomew Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin ordered Hickman’s bond stay at its current level, due largely to the seriousness of the charges filed against him.
Lowering the bond and allowing Hickman to go free “could potentially harm the community,” Benjamin said.
The formal charges are:
- 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.
In addition, Hickman is charged with a Class A misdemeanor of distribution of an intimate image, accused of distributing an intimate image knowing that the victim did not consent to the distribution of said image.
If convicted on all charges, the defendant could be sentenced to over 20 years in prison, as well as face fines of up to $45,000.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
