BUNNELL, Fla. — Flagler County deputies re-arrested 40-year-old Joseph Nichols of Bunnell on Tuesday after a forensic search of his cell phone turned up images of animal sexual activity and child sexual abuse, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Nichols faces 11 counts of possession of images of animal sexual activity and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. The Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit made the arrest. Nichols is held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on $32,500 bond.
Phone seized during August arrest
Sheriff Rick Staly arrested Nichols on August 27 during Operation: Offenders Endgame on sex offender registration violations. The Sheriff’s Office said Nichols was searching videos about child and parent sexual contact on his phone when Staly arrested him. Deputies seized the phone.
Investigators later got a search warrant and ran a forensic examination of the device. Detectives have so far found more than 100 images showing animal sexual abuse, along with other images showing child sexual abuse, the Sheriff’s Office said. The examination of Nichols’ electronic devices continues.
Sheriff expects more arrests
Staly said the operation produced follow-up investigations that are still under way.
“Operation Offenders Endgame was a success but there were spinoff investigations that are continuing today as this arrest as shown,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I expect that we will have several more arrests of abhorrent perverts like Nichols stemming from devices seized during Operation Offenders Endgame. My mother, who was a mental health supervisor once told me that sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated and they should be locked-up and throw the key away. My advice to perverts: get fixed or get the hell out of Flagler County.”
An arrest is an accusation. It is not a finding of guilt. The Sheriff’s Office did not say whether Nichols has an attorney.
Residents can check Florida’s Sex Offender Registry online at offender.fdle.state.fl.us or through the Sheriff’s Office and FDLE mobile apps.
For more local public safety coverage, see Flagler County news.