Columbia Man Faces Child Sex Charges In Indictment Returned On Wednesday

A 53-year-old Columbia man faces a five-count indictment returned on Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City for the sexual exploitation of a minor and on additional charges related to child pornography.

The indictment charges William Lee Nichols with two counts of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to persuade a minor victim to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Those offenses allegedly occurred between June 1, 2019, and Feb. 6, 2023.

Nichols is also charged with one count of attempting to use the minor victim to produce child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.