Lakewood Man Gets Life in Prison for Raping 17-Year-Old

A 49-year-old Lakewood man who pleaded guilty to raping a mentally impaired 17-year-old girl was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison.

A jury found Nikola “Nick” Petkovic guilty earlier this month of 45 charges — including rape, pandering sexually oriented material, gross sexual imposition and kidnapping with sexual motivation specifications.

Petkovic, of 2120 Northland Avenue, will be eligible for parole after 100 years.

"The victim, victim’s family, Bay Village Police and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office were pleased with the verdict and the judge’s sentencing in this case, knowing that a sexual predator has been removed from the streets," said Det. Mark Spaetzel of the Bay Village Police Department.

Petkovic sexually assaulted the mentally impaired 17-year-old girl who he met on the Internet. The victim is cognitively impaired with a full-scale IQ of 73, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

After meeting online, Petkovic initiated sexual conversations with the victim through emails and text messages and sent her nude photos, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Petkovic raped the girl several times between August 2009 and December 2009, according to the prosecutor’s office. In April 2010, after the Bay Village Police Department launched an investigation, Petkovic pressured the victim — who is now 18 — into marrying him. 

In May 2010, a search warrant was executed at Petkovic's residence. Petkovic attempted to destroy evidence, including his computer hard drive, and several DVDs, according to the prosecutor’s office. 

“Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Bay Village Police investigators conducted forensic examinations on Petkovic's hard drive and a DVD found by the victim's mother,” according to a news release. “The examinations revealed a total of nine video files depicting Petkovic and the minor victim engaged in sexual activity.”