Disgraced Rabun County Sheriff Chad Nichols is stepping down as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. On Friday, September 13, Nichols pled guilty to violating his oath of office.
In a hearing before Rabun County Superior Court Judge Albert Collier, Nichols agreed to resign and surrender his peace officer certification for having inappropriate, nonconsensual contact with a woman and exposing himself to her in a public place.
The court sentenced Nichols to five years probation and fined him $1,000. The plea deal on the felony charge allows Nichols to avoid a trial and possible jail time. Sources tell Now Habersham he will also retain his retirement.
The Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office says during the guilty plea process, Nichols apologized to the victim for his conduct.
Primary night
The incident that led to Nichol’s downfall occurred the night of the GOP primary on May 21 near the Rabun County Board of Elections Office. Nichols was seeking reelection at the time. He wound up in a runoff with former deputy Mark Gerrells, who went on to win the runoff in a landslide after the allegations surfaced.
Governor Brian Kemp suspended Nichols in June while the GBI investigated the accusations. On August 14, a Rabun County grand jury indicted Nichols.
On Friday, Judge Collier accepted the joint recommendation from prosecutors and the defense and sentenced Nichols under the Georgia First Offender Act. He gave Nichols 24 hours to resign and surrender his Georgia POST certification. In addition, the judge ordered Nichols to have no contact with the victim and to sign a Fourth Amendment waiver and a medical waiver requiring him to remain under a doctor’s medical care.
Before being elected sheriff, Nichols served as the city police chief in Baldwin.
