MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A woman spoke to News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts Thursday night about her encounter with a man who has since been accused of child molestation.
She wished to remain anonymous, but News 6 was able to verify her identity in connection to the case.
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The disturbing encounter all started on a popular dating app: Tinder.
The woman responded to a Tinder message Wednesday, Oct. 12, from Nicolas Wallace, 29.
The conversation that followed led to his arrest two days later by a detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
He’s now facing a slew of charges that include: transmission of child pornography, possession of child pornography, solicitation to commit sexual battery on a victim less than 12 years of age, promoting the sexual performance of a minor, and sexual assault against a child under 12 years of age.
After a quick exchange on Tinder, the woman and Wallace started sending direct messages on Instagram.
At first, she said he was completely normal — until he started asking personal questions.
“He said, ‘What age did you first mess around?’ And I said I was 13, and I had it taken from me unwillingly,” she said.
The woman, a victim of child molestation, was repulsed by what she heard next.
He told the woman he was into young girls.
She immediately sent their message thread to a friend in law enforcement, who suggested she try to pull information out of him.
“I basically told him that I didn’t judge him,” she said.
At that point, he let his guard down.
“I decided to ask what was the youngest that he would go, and he said, ‘Do you really [want to] know?’” she said.
She said he told her, “She was 8, never forced or anything, started off slow, always played [sexually explicit phrase], loved all that stuff.”
“Then one day, finally, they had had sex,” she said.
The woman said she has since deleted her Tinder.
“You don’t realize who you’re talking to, you have no idea who the person on the other end is,” she said.
She reported Wallace to multiple law enforcement agencies the next day, which went undercover to investigate using her social media account.
Wallace continued to open up, even sending four pictures of children being sexually abused.
He then tried to arrange a meet-up with the woman he had been messaging on Instagram and even offered to bring a child with him.
“It kind of disgusted me thinking he thought that I was OK with this,” she said.
Though Wallace is locked up now, the woman doesn’t consider that justice.
“I think prison is too good for him,” she said.
He is currently at the Marion County jail on a $95,000 bond.
Detectives anticipate bringing more charges after examining his phone and tablet.
The sheriff’s office believes there may be other victims.
If you or someone you know has been victimized by Wallace, deputies ask you call Detective King at (352) 368-3586.
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