Judge bans voyeur from public restrooms
Published 9:00 pm Friday, April 19, 2002
By Scott North
Herald Writer
A Mukilteo man with a long history of indecent exposure was sentenced to two years in prison Friday and was banned from public restrooms after his release.
The sentence for 36-year-old Daniel Ansel Nicholson was twice the top punishment called for under state sentencing guidelines.
Nicholson had earlier pleaded no-contest to four charges, ranging from felony voyeurism to misdemeanor indecent exposure and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
Among other acts, Nicholson told police that he repeatedly exposed himself, peeked at a 9-year-old boy in an Everett department store restroom, and had become sexually excited placing pornography in public places so it could be found by others.
It was the department store voyeurism that led to his arrest in November.
The father of one young victim told Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Anita Farris that his son is still troubled by the incident.
"’Dad, just make sure the judge knows I don’t want to see that man and he scares me very much,’ " the man quoted his son as telling him prior to Friday’s sentencing.
Nicholson’s sentence was the result of a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, who attached 19 different conditions he must follow after release from prison. They included successfully completing sex offender treatment, avoiding drugs, alcohol and pornography, and not having contact with children.
Farris on Friday added a 20th condition, banning Nicholson from public restrooms for the two years he will be on community supervision after his prison sentence.
The judge also crafted Nicholson’s sentence so that any violation would give her legal grounds to impose an additional year of jail time, which she ordered suspended — for now.
She told Nicholson that she expects him to get treatment and abide by the court’s order that he give children a wide berth.
That will mean he won’t be allowed to go some places in the community, the judge said, adding "needless to say, Mr. Nicholson, parks and schools are places where children congregate."
Nicholson has arrests for sex offenses dating back 15 years. When he was arrested five months ago, he told investigators he has a "sexual addiction" and may have engaged in about 100 acts of voyeurism against children and adults in public restrooms in 2001. He also admitted engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior at espresso stands, tanning salons, and while riding on the bus.
You can call Herald Writer Scott North at 425-339-3431 or send e-mail to north@heraldnet.com.
