Sex extortion charges against former State Senator dismissed

Daniel Hollingworth

PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – Sex extortion charges against former Republican State Senator Nicholas Kettle were dismissed by the Rhode Island Attorney General Thursday.

According to Attorney General Peter Neronha, the state didn’t have enough evidence to continue the prosecution of the case.

“In light of new evidence in State of Rhode Island v. Nicholas Kettle (P1-2018-0377A) – specifically communications between the victim and the defendant that have been verified by this Office – the state is unable to meet its required burden of proof and continue the prosecution of this case,” Neronha said in a statement.

Neronha also went on to say that the complainant told authorities that he wouldn’t return to Rhode Island to testify. 

Kettle resigned from office last year amid charges that he extorted sex from a teenage Senate page in 2011.

At the time, Kettle denied the allegations.

Kettle also pleaded no contest earlier this year to video voyeurism in a separate case involving his ex-girlfriend.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2019

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