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   Booking photo of Paul Anthony Nichols, 23, of St. George, who was arrested in   
   Washington County, Utah, Dec. 2, 2022 | Booking photo courtesy of the   
   Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News   
      
   ST. GEORGE — A former staff member accused of sexually abusing two teenage   
   girls housed at a treatment center in Toquerville was sentenced on multiple   
   felony charges during a recent hearing in 5th District Court.   
      
   Paul Anthony Nichols, 23, of St. George, appeared before District Judge Jay   
   Winward on May 16 for sentencing on seven second-degree felony charges —   
   five counts of forcible sexual abuse and two counts of sexual exploitation of   
   a minor.   
      
   The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges on March 28, and under the terms   
   of the plea agreement, one first-degree felony rape charge was dismissed in   
   exchange for a guilty plea.   
      
   Defense attorney Nathan Reeve represented Nichols, while prosecutors Eric   
   Gentry and Tyler Bonzo represented the state.   
      
   The investigation   
      
   Nichols worked as a counselor at the Falcon Ridge Ranch-Lava Heights Academy   
   in Toquerville, a residential treatment center for teenage girls. He was   
   arrested Dec. 2, 2022, after the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received   
   a report in October    
   alleging that two juvenile students at the facility were being abused by a   
   counselor.   
      
   Detectives eventually identified the suspect as Nichols, who started with the   
   company as a part-time staff member in September, the same month he pleaded   
   guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after   
   the offense was reduced    
   from a felony.   
      
   According to charging documents filed with the court, three days into his   
   employment at the youth treatment center, Nichols allegedly went into the   
   girls’ restroom with one of the teens and molested the youth, police say.   
   The incidents reportedly    
   continued over five days and began with inappropriate touching and then   
   escalated into a sexual assault that took place in the bathroom.   
      
   The report also included information regarding a second student who was   
   molested, abuse that involved inappropriate touching in one of the   
   facility’s restrooms on more than one occasion.   
      
   Both sides weigh in during sentencing   
      
   During the sentencing hearing, Gentry said the state’s position was that   
   Nichols should serve a prison sentence — considering the severity of the   
   charges combined with the special position of trust the defendant inherently   
   had as a counselor at the    
   facility.   
      
   The defendant took advantage of that position of trust, Gentry said, which is   
   central to the case and was “most egregious,” combined with the fact the   
   two underage victims were in a treatment facility at the time.   
      
   One victim provided a victim-impact statement to the court after Winward   
   assured the girl they would get through the statement together when the teen   
   was having difficulty speaking in open court.   
      
   “You’re just telling me your story, and we’re going to get through   
   this,” the judge said.   
      
   The teen said Nichols knew she was in treatment and had access to information   
   due to his position at the facility, and he took that information to   
   manipulate the youth for his own satisfaction.   
      
   “You used my struggles against me,” she said, adding that it left her   
   scared out of her mind.   
      
   She said Nichols picked “a little girl in treatment already struggling” to   
   use as his victim, and his actions have left her with a sense of self-loathing   
   and guilt she continues to deal with every day.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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