Nichols’ son pleads guilty in theft case

Wednesday, March 5, 2003 | 11:10 a.m.

The 20-year-old son of Terry Nichols, convicted with Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing, was arraigned in District Court Tuesday on charges of stealing a scooter to support his drug habit.

Josh Nichols pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft from Jay's Market, a convenience store at 8835 S. Eastern Ave.

The guilty plea came as the result of a plea agreement in which prosecutors dropped initial burglary and grand larceny charges, Deputy District Attorney Brad Turner said.

The deal carries a stipulated sentence in which Nichols will be charged with a felony and spend 30 months on probation, Turner said. He also will be ordered to complete Drug Court.

If Nichols successfully completes probation and Drug Court, the charge will be treated as a gross misdemeanor, Turner said. If he doesn't, he faces a one- to four-year prison sentence.

Nichols was released from the Clark County Detention Center on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 29 before District Judge Michael Douglas.

Nichols was arrested Feb. 24 after a $600 scooter was taken from a display in the store. Video surveillance cameras in the store videotaped the incident, according to court records.

According to the arrest report, Nichols told police that he "messed up," and that he had taken the scooter because he needed money to buy drugs. He said he had arranged for a friend to buy the scooter, the report said.

The incident was the latest in a string of arrests since 2001. Nichols was arrested on conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery and battery charges in April 2002, but he was never formally charged.

He was also arrested in February 2002 on burglary and grand larceny charges and in January 2001 on reckless driving and evading police charges.

Nichols was 14 when his father was convicted and sentenced to a no-parole life sentence for his part in the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building that resulted in 168 deaths.