Nashua Man Charged with Child Sex Abuse Agrees to Plea Deal

Almost a year after he was arrested on 10 charges related to alleged child sex abuse, a Nashua man has agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges.

40-year-old Ethan Vorhes was arrested on August 31, 2022, after he was accused of sexually abusing two minor victims, both who were under the age of 15 at the time. Investigators say the incidents occurred on multiple occasions from 2018 to 2022. 

Vorhes was charged with two counts each of second-degree sexual abuse, third-degree sexual abuse, lascivious acts with a child, and indecent contact with a child; plus one count of indecent exposure and one count of exhibiting obscene material to a minor.

Vorhes was scheduled for trial next Tuesday (08.22) in Floyd County District Court, but earlier this week, according to court documents, he agreed to plead guilty to two charges of child endangerment, along with the acceptance of serving time in prison and to register as a sex offender. A hearing is now scheduled for Monday (08.21) for official acceptance of his guilty plea.

Vorhes still faces a September 19th trial date for his alleged assault of a Marble Rock firefighter in May. Court documents show the firefighter was responding to a report of a cornfield and trees on fire in the 2600 block of Highway 14 west of Charles City, but Vorhes was actually doing a controlled burn. However,  when firefighters began to extinguish the field fire, Vorhes was accused of spraying the victim with fuel.  

His charges in that case include assault on persons in certain occupations with intent of injury,  assault on persons in certain occupations with use or display of a dangerous weapon, possession of an incendiary or explosive device with intent, and reckless use of fire or explosives.