January jury trial set for Atkinson man accused of sexually assaulting 13-year-old

A jury trial is set for the first week of January 2024 for an Atkinson man accused of committing a dozen crimes against a 13-year-old victim in 2022.

Travis L. Frickel, 41, of Atkinson faced the Honorable Mark Kozisek in the Holt County district courtroom in O’Neill on Oct. 30 for pretrial hearing on four Class 3A felony counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child and eight Class 3A felony counts of child abuse, alleged between Sept. 1 and Nov. 16, 2022.

Counts X, XI and XII, originally filed as Class 3 misdemeanors alleged in November 2022, were upgraded to felonies, with alleged dates of commission between Sept. 1 and Nov. 16, 2022, in an amended information filed by special prosecutor Andrew Taylor on Aug. 17.

Arrest affidavits were sealed Nov. 21, 2022, by Kozisek, to protect the alleged 13-year-old victim, who is listed by initials only in the information.

Bond, in the amount of $75,000, 10% cash, is continued.

Frickel is represented by Justin Eichmann of Omaha.