FROM BAD TO WORSE

Armed Robbery Suspect Sexually Assaulted Hostage During Standoff: Police

The 39-year-old Illinois man charged in connection with a dramatic standoff with SWAT is now facing sexual assault charges as well.

A 39-year-old Illinois man police say robbed a credit union on Friday also sexually assaulted one of his hostages during an hours-long standoff, authorities said Saturday. Police in Rockford, about 90 miles from Chicago, have added two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault to the charges against Nicholas August, who is also charged with armed robbery and aggravated unlawful restraint. Police say August barged into a credit union at around 2:30 p.m. Friday and “threatened people” inside, eventually taking a female employee hostage before “ordering the remainder of the employees out of the building.” FBI agents and SWAT teams assisted local police in negotiations with August over the next six or so hours, and he came out with the hostage willingly at around 9 p.m., police said. He is said to have used a pellet gun resembling a real gun to pull off the “random” robbery. FBI agents reportedly learned of the sexual assault only hours after the standoff began, when the unnamed bank employee was interviewed at a local hospital where she was being treated for her injuries.