Attleboro Pastor, Principal Gets 5-Year Sentence

The former assistant pastor of an Attleboro church who was also the principal of the church school has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing a student.

The Sun Chronicle reports that The Rev. Jeffrey Nichols was sentenced Thursday in Fall River Superior Court.

Prosecutors say the 48-year-old Nichols was assistant pastor of Grace Baptist Church and principal of Grace Baptist Christian Academy sexually molested a seventh-grade student beginning in 2008 when she was 13. The abuse continued until the end of the school year in June 2013.

Authorities say Nichols inappropriately touched the girl and also made sexual comments to her. He asked her to expose herself to him and exposed himself to her.

His lawyer said the married father of three had no prior criminal record.