A man accused of using his role as a military recruiter to make inappropriate contact with teenage girls in Ottawa County waived his preliminary exam Feb. 20.
Nicholas Phelps, 28, of Norton Shores, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person aged 13-15. He was scheduled to appear for a preliminary exam in 58th District Court, but waived the proceeding Feb. 19. The case will now be bound over to Ottawa County’s 20th Circuit Court.
According to an earlier release from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, detectives began investigating reports of inappropriate contact between Phelps and teenage students in August 2025. Authorities believe Phelps utilized his position to make contact with ”multiple females” from local schools and “sexual contact and inappropriate messaging” took place…