A man has been sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison for abusing a 10-month-old boy and a minor nearly a decade ago, according to the State's Attorney's Office.
Officials said 44-year-old Robert Nichols was found guilty of charges brought forth in October 2013 on June 27, 2023.
During a trial, Manchester police said they were notified of a suspected child abuse case. The boy allegedly suffered head trauma and the injuries were determined to be potentially life-threatening.
A witness said she saw Nichols wrap the baby in a tight swaddle and slam him on the floor several times, causing him to hit his head. The witness also told authorities that Nichols placed the baby in a sink full of ice cold water, causing him to squirm and strike his head.
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The State's Attorney's Office said Nichols was the pastor of the World of Faith Ministry in East Hartford. He and several of his followers lived together in a home owned by the ministry.
Witnesses said Nichols claimed he communicated directly with God and used that claim to control his followers, according to authorities.
He was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Nichols has been sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison, execution suspended after 18 years and 10 years in probation.
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He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor in an unrelated incident on Sept. 27, 2022.
