IL Appeals Court to release Decatur man convicted of child pornography

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - An Illinois Appeals Court has ruled to release a Decatur man from custody who was sentenced to three years in prison for child pornography.

Doug Nichols was found guilty of possessing child pornography by a Macon County Court in October 2024.

Doug Nichols' wife, Kelly, had her child pornography conviction overturned by the Fifth District Appellate Court of Illinois earlier this month.

The court ruled that her conviction be reversed and dismissed, and that she be discharged from her six-year sentence.

Mike Leonard, Kelly and Doug's attorney, sent the following statement to WAND News:

"We are extremely grateful that the Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth District has moved so swiftly to order the immediate release from prison of Doug Nichols. It is unfortunate that he was forced to serve a significant amount of time incarcerated based upon a flawed and failed prosecution that clearly never should have been brought against him or his wife, Kelly Nichols, in the first place. Instead of doubling down, the Macon County State’s Attorneys’ Office should acknowledge its errors."