Staff Report

Nicholas Alexander Egner

COLUMBIA CITY — A Columbia City man was recently arrested after allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Nicholas A. Egner, 31, 600 N. Walnut St. Apartment 7, Columbia City, is charged with five counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, all level 4 felonies.

On Sept. 4, 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported a cyber tip regarding an illicit conversation between an adult and a child. Conversations indicated the adult and child may have met in person to engage in sexual activity.

According to court documents, the cyber tip stated, “Based on the reported chat that spanned from July to August 2021, the 30-year-old suspect appears to be enticing the child victim and they may have met to engage in sexual activity.”

Indiana State Police confirmed that activity on the child’s social media indicated they were a minor, despite their age on their profile listing them as an adult. They confirmed the victim was a child through the Indiana Department of Education.

In November 2021, return information from a Facebook search warrant was submitted into evidence.

Both Egner and the child sent inappropriate pictures to each other; Egner also sent the child multiple inappropriate messages. ISP discovered several pictures of the two together.

On Nov. 19, 2021, ISP went to Egner’s place of employment to speak with him. When asked about the child, Egner said they were a friend he met in Pierceton. He said he knew the child’s age.

Egner said nude images from his phone were sent to the child from his phone but could not explain. He later said the child messaged him first and that their conversations escalated into a sexual nature.

During the interview, Egner said the child sent him nude pictures and he sent them nude ones as well. He further elaborated on their inappropriate contact and said all the sexual contact happened at a location in Columbia City.

On Nov. 22, 2021, ISP spoke with the child and their mother about Egner. The child admitted to having sex with Egner.

The next day, the child was interviewed at a child advocacy center in Fort Wayne. The child said they met Egner in March 2021.

In the interview, the child discussed Egner and said they knew what they were doing and made their own choices.

On Dec. 2, 2021, ISP spoke with one of Egner’s relatives. The relative said Egner lived with her from about June to November 2021. She said when the child would be with Egner, they would kiss and hug on the couch. The relative said she kicked Egner out when she put two and two together and realized the person Egner was with was probably underage.

Egner was booked in the Whitley County Jail on Feb. 7.