BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – A Florida county commissioner faces multiple charges after authorities say he paid a couple living with him to be able to have sex with the man’s wife.
Hernando County deputies arrested 71-year-old Nick Nicholson Thursday on one count of operating a location for the purpose of lewdness, assignation or prostitution and two counts of purchasing services from any person engaged in prostitution.
The arrest stemmed from an investigation that began Feb. 20 when deputies went to a home Nicholson rents in Spring Hill, according to the Tampa Bay Times. After getting a call reporting a domestic disturbance, they found 33-year-old Kendel Surette and 30-year-old Valerie Surette in the middle of a heated dispute. Valerie, who had a visible injury to her face, told deputies that her husband had thrown a screwdriver at her head.
Both the Surettes and Nicholson had glassy, red eyes, according to authorities, and they appeared under the influence. The Times reports that Nicholson’s sweatpants had a hole in the front that exposed his genitals, and deputies asked him to change clothes.
Kendel Surette told investigators that the couple had been living in the residence for about six months. According to the paper, Surette said Nick Nicholson had been buying them food and paying them $100 to have sex with Valerie Surette on Tuesday, and $200 to have sex with her on Saturdays.
Nicholson allegedly let Valerie’s other clients have sex with her at the home – either in the garage or in a car parked in the driveway.
It’s not the first time authorities have questioned the Hernando County commissioner.
in 2012, Nicholson wound up at the center of an investigation into his alleged relationship with a stripper named Kimberly Losurdo, who police arrested for child abuse after a minor in her care ingested crack cocaine, according to the Hernando Sun. Authorities didn’t charge Nicholson, citing lack of sufficient evidence.
According to his bio on the county website:
“Commissioner Nicholson is an active member on the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council, is liaison to the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and serves on the Pasco-Hernando Workforce Board as part of the Jobs and Education Partnership. He currently serves as Chairman of the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority, Chairman of the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board, and is a member on the Florida Department of Transportation Interstate 75 Relief Task Force.”
Police arrested Nicholson Thursday and booked him at Henrico County Jail on $3,000 bond, which he posted shortly after.
