Man charged with predatory criminal sexual assault

Eric G. Nichols, 42 of 1008 S. Ledford St., Harrisburg, was arrested by Illinois State Police Jan. 24 and charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

According to court documents, the victim was a 4-year-old female, who is the daughter of a woman with whom Nichols had previously been in a relationship.

During an interview with Illinois State Police investigator Trooper Jason Colp, Nichols stated that on two separate occasions he was asleep, naked or semi-naked and awoke to find the victim on top of him naked, making genital contact with Nichols, according to the court documents.

Upon taking the information from Nichols, the ISP investigator contacted the Saline County States Attorney and was instructed to take Nichols into custody.

The charges against Nichols are two Class X felonies, each of which carries the sentence of imprisonment for not less than six years and not more then 60 years. Bail was set at $200,000 with a cash bond requirement of $20,000. However, Circuit Judge Walden Morris ordered Nichols to be held in the Saline County Detention Center until his preliminary hearing 1 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Saline County Courthouse.

Nichols has been assigned Public Defender Lowell Tison to represent him.