Fairbury Man Charged with Terroristic Threats and Violating Protection Order

Nicholas S. Heitman, age 36, of Fairbury, appeared in Jefferson County Court via webcam from the Jefferson County law Enforcement Center on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. Linda Bauer was the presiding judge.Heitman was arraigned on charges of terroristic threats and violating a protection order. Terroristic threats is a class 3A felony punishable by three years in prison, nine to 18 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine. Heitman was previously convicted of violating a protection order on March 16, 2012, in Lancaster County. The prior conviction makes this charge a class 4 felony, punishable by two years in prison, nine to 12 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine.According to the terms of a protection order served on November 1, 2021, Heitman is not allowed to contact the protected party via any communication device.On March 17, 2022, the protected party reached out to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and showed deputies a series of text messages allegedly from Heitman. According to the Affidavit for Arrest Warrant, “The number she showed me did not have a named attached to it. I asked how she knew it was Nicholas, she stated because that is how he talks to her. The messages started at 10:02 a.m. and continued throughout the day of the 17th of March. One message that was sent at approx. 8:20 p.m. stated that he was going to f'’n kill her.”A warrant was issued by Judge Bauer and the defendant was later arrested.The defendant requested court-appointed counsel and Public Defender Scott Gropp was assigned to represent him.The defendant requested a low bond, noting that he has relatives in the area and said, “I'm not going anywhere.”County Attorney Joseph Casson did not object.Judge Bauer set bond at $10,000 (10 percent), “Which is fairly low for two felonies.”Heitman also has charges pending in Gage County and is represented by attorney Dustin Garrison in that case.Heitman was arrested on March 25 of this year by the Gage County Sheriff's Office after a traffic stop on the Jefferson County warrant. According to the Probable Cause affidavit filled out by the Gage County Deputy, “During the inventory of the Nicholas's vehicle, the following items were discovered: 1 purple and black baggie with a crystal substance located in the center console that field tested positive for methamphetamine, a glass marijuana container with marijuana shake located inside, two scales with an unknown powdery substance located on them, two prescription pill bottles with the labels scratched off, inside one of the pill bottles were two different colored pills that were identified by Drugs.com pill identifier website as (8) Amoxicillin Trihvdrate pills and (12) Cephalexin Monohydrate pills (prescription only legend drug), a green container with two marijuana grinders located inside, a note book that is suspected to be a drug ledger, an open Nebraska Certificate of Title and $355 in Nicholas's wallet.”

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