LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County man will serve up to 15 years in prison following a conviction for raping a 14-year-old girl in 2017, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said.
Denzel Saladeen Nichols, 26, of Columbia was convicted in June of rape and six other charges. He was sentenced by Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle, who noted Nichols has prior sex offenses as reasoning in his judgment, prosecutors said.
Police began investigating the 2017 incident in March 2020, when the victim came forward. Nichols was charged in October of that year.
The investigation determined Nichols picked up the victim and two other minors, and the group went to Mountville Park, where they smoked marijuana and drank alcohol supplied by him.
Nichols then drove the group to a residence on Estelle Drive and raped the victim in a bedroom, according to police. He told one member of the group not to let the other in while the rape occurred.
Nichols admitted to having sex with the victim through texts and calls when the victim, who did not remember the incident, asked what happened that night.
Police obtained these text messages and call recordings.
Assistant District Attorney Amy Muller prosecuted the case and mentioned that Nichols maxed out his state prison sentence for his last crime and declined to complete sexual offender treatment.
Muller also stated he contacted the victim almost immediately after being released from prison.
“He needs to remain in jail in order to ensure the safety of the community,” Muller said.
