Sen. Nicholas Kettle, facing sex extortion charges, announces resignation

Providence—-Feb.19, 2018— State Sen. Nicholas Kettle, appears in Superior Court on Monday and was charged with two counts of extorting sex from a former State House page. [The Providence Journal/Steve Szydlowski]
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island state senator facing charges of sex extortion and video voyeurism has announced his resignation.

Coventry Republican Nicholas Kettle said in a letter Thursday that he has “determined that it is in my best interest to resign and concentrate on the unfounded allegations against me.”

Senate leaders on Wednesday took the first step in trying to expel Kettle, the Senate’s minority whip.

Kettle was arrested last week and charged with extorting a male page for sex on two occasions in 2011 and with video voyeurism that involved trading nude photos of his ex-girlfriend and a New Hampshire woman taken without their consent.

Kettle’s resignation letter also says he was disappointed that he was denied due process by fellow Senate members.

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