Alleged sex offender released on bail, arrested 4 days later


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OREM — An 18-year-old man charged with sexually abusing a child was arrested again for a similar offense just four days after making bail.

Now, Orem police are warning neighbors who live by Nicholas Simmonds not to leave their children alone with him should he make bail again.

On May 24, Simmonds was in a yard playing tag with two neighbor children, a 6-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy, in the area of 1100 South and 50 East. He picked up and tickled the girl several times as he chased her, said Orem Police Lt. Craig Martinez.

Eventually, Simmonds took the girl out of the fenced backyard, around the corner between a couple of cars, and rubbed her genitals over her clothing, according to Martinez. He did this two more times during the afternoon, he said.

After one sexual offense, offenders:
have a 40% chance of reoffending within 25 years
have a 14% chance of reoffending within 14 years

About a week later, Simmonds was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail. He was charged in 4th District Court in Provo with three counts of sex abuse of a child, a second-degree felony.

On July 25, Simmonds bailed out of jail and returned home. Just four days later, he was walking near his home when a man, who said he "has tried to be a role model in Nicholas' life" spotted him and asked him if he'd like to do some work with him, a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court states. Simmonds said yes and followed him home.

While at the home, the man became busy and distracted and Simmonds disappeared. The man later learned that Simmonds took the man's 6-year-old daughter into the yard during that time and pulled her underwear down, according to the affidavit.


He is not a registered sex offender because the previous case is still going through the court process. If he's going to allegedly do something four days after being in jail for the same type of thing, we're concerned he's going to get out again and possibly find another victim.

–Lt. Craig Martinez


Simmonds was arrested for investigation of lewdness involving a child, a class A misdemeanor. The case was referred to Orem Justice Court.

Police are advising parents to talk to their children. Police say the most recent alleged victim knew to tell her parents.

"He is not a registered sex offender because the previous case is still going through the court process. If he's going to allegedly do something four days after being in jail for the same type of thing, we're concerned he's going to get out again and possibly find another victim. So we want everyone to realize the possibility of this guy getting bailed out again," Martinez said Tuesday.

Psychologist and psychology professor at the University of Utah Dr. Donald Strassberg, Ph.D. agreed that Simmonds appears to be a high risk for another offense. Strassberg studies sexual function, and he said sexual offenders with one offense have a 40 percent chance of reoffending within 25 years. According to the National Institute of Justice, there is a 14 percent chance within five years.

"If it were me, I'd try to make darn sure our kids had nothing to do with this individual," Strassberg said.

Strassberg said he does think someone like Simmonds can be rehabilitated, but typically sex offenders need more treatment than what they are given while incarcerated. He said he has seen the most success when convicted sex offenders go to halfway houses after they are released from jail and continue to receive treatment.


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Pat Reavy

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