High school custodian charged with sexual assault on teen
A 24-year-old school custodian has been charged with having sex with a 15-year-old female student at Downingtown West High School, police said today.
Joseph C. Nicholson, of Downingtown, was taken into custody Friday and charged with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and related offenses, Police Chief James R. McGowan 3d said.
McGowan said Nicholson, who is being held at Chester County Prison after failing to post $75,000 cash bail, resigned from the high school janitorial position Tuesday. The victim was not identified to protect her privacy, McGowan said.
Officer Paul A. Trautmann, assigned to the school as a resource officer, reviewed school surveillance video Jan. 22 that showed multiple meetings from Jan. 7 through 21 between Nicholson and the alleged victim, the criminal complaint said.
Trautmann interviewed the girl, who admitted a sexual encounter with Nicholson on Jan. 18 at his home in the unit block of Stuart Avenue, the complaint said.
"Officer Trautmann did a lot of good work, and the school cooperated fully," McGowan said.
A preliminary hearing for Nicholson is scheduled for Feb. 22.
