Minister Gets More Prison Time In Manchester Child Assault Cases

HARTFORD, CT — A Manchester man has been sentenced to additional time in prison in ongoing assault cases involving a child.

Hartford State's Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott announced Friday that 44-year-old Robert Nichols has now been sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison, execution suspended after 18 years served and 10 years of probation, for "physically abusing a 10-month-old boy and the sexual assault of a minor in an unrelated incident."

A Superior Court jury on June 27, found Nichols guilty of first-degree assault and two counts of risk of injury to a child. On Wednesday, Judge Kevin C. Doyle sentenced Nichols to 20 years in prison, execution suspended after 10 years served, along with five years of probation on the assault charge, and to six years in prison on each of the risk of injury charges, to run concurrently.

This sentence will run consecutive to a sentence entered in November 2022 on a separate incident.

In November 2022, Nichols received a sentence of 20 years in prison, execution suspended after eight years served and 10 years of probation. Nichols received the sentence after a jury found him guilty on Sept. 27 of two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of Injury to a minor.

According to evidence introduced at the June trial, in October 2013, Manchester Police were contacted by "medical professionals" about a suspected child abuse involving a 10-month-old boy. The child suffered head trauma and the injuries were determined to be potentially life-threatening, according to case records.

One witness testified she witnessed Nichols wrap the baby in a tight swaddle and slam him to the floor numerous times causing him to strike his head, according to case records. The witness said Nichols also placed the baby in a sink full of ice cold water causing him to thrash about and strike his head, according to case records.

Nichols was the pastor of the Word of Faith Ministry in East Hartford. He and a number of his followers lived in Nichols' Manchester home, which was owned by the ministry, according to case records.

Witnesses said Nichols claimed he communicated directly with God and used that claim to control his followers, according to case records.

Testimony in the September trial showed the victim, a young boy, had been staying with the Nichols family during the summer of 2010.

Both cases were prosecuted by Senior Assistant State's Attorney Michael W. Riley, with the assistance of Inspector Luis Rodriguez.

"Trials where the disclosure is delayed are inherently more difficult than most," Walcott said. "Senior Assistant State's Attorney Riley worked through this case with a constant focus on seeking justice for the minor victims in these cases. Sadly, this case involves the abuse of children by victimizing the adults."