Cop committed sex acts with victims, sex workers while on duty in Ohio, feds say
A former Ohio police officer was sentenced to prison after officials said he engaged in sex acts with women while on duty.
Nicholas P. Duty, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records, according to court records. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Duty “destroyed, altered or falsified records by purposefully deactivating or removing his police body worn camera, according to a June 10 news release from from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. “Duty’s actions were intended to impede, obstruct or influence a federal investigation.”
In February 2024, Duty was working as a police officer in Columbus when a witness told officers they were concerned about his “on-duty activities with sex workers,” the release said. .
While investigating, authorities discovered that on Oct. 31, 2023 and March 22, 2024, Duty turned off his body camera while interacting with two women.
On the first occasion, he asked a woman for her phone number after the woman called for help with her suicidal boyfriend, officials said. He ”made sexual advances” toward her and continued to reach out to her through April 2024, according to prosecutors.
On the second occasion, Duty was talking with a woman and she asked him ”if he wanted to go to their “normal spot’,” prosecutors said. Duty drove his police cruiser to an alley and met the woman there, according to officials.
He then removed his body camera and blocked it from recording video, but the audio was still being recorded, officials said. On the audio recording Duty could be heard asking the woman to have sex several times, according to prosecutors. The woman declined but performed oral sex before Duty gave her $20, the release said.
They also discussed meeting at a later time for sex, according to officials.
Other digital evidence showed numerous conversations Duty had with women seeking out sex, according to prosecutors. Some of the women were victims of crimes and sex workers, officials said.
He was also accused of sending messages to sex workers while on duty, meeting up with them in his cruiser and engaging in sex acts that he would pay for.
Duty’s attorney Mark Collins said although he was a good officer at times, his mental health and addiction issues played a role in his bad decision making. However, he said Duty is taking responsibility for his actions.
“He let down his brothers and sisters of the police force, he let down himself, he victimized his family and his children, as well as he victimized people who were actually victims themselves when he came to the call,” Collins told McClatchy News.
Collins said Duty is disappointed he “violated his duty to protect and serve” and is taking steps to make amends.
This story was originally published June 11, 2025 at 10:06 AM with the headline "Cop committed sex acts with victims, sex workers while on duty in Ohio, feds say."
