Indiana town puts felon Santa on naughty list
Published 10:05 pm Thursday, December 18, 2014
- Nick Ellis, dressed in his Santa suit, gives a child a candy cane on South Anderson Street in Elwood on Thursday evening. Police have told him he is no longer permitted to be the city's official Santa, because of his criminal record.
ELWOOD, Ind. — Saint Nick has been warned: Stay off public property in this Indiana town or face charges.
Nick Ellis, 55, admits his background is not nearly as pure as freshly fallen snow. But he says he’s served his time and wants to spread some holiday cheer – as long as it doesn’t land him in jail.
Ellis, dressed in his Santa suit, has greeted more than 200 children in Elwood since Thanksgiving Day. In fact, he says, city officials asked him to portray Santa after the man initially chosen for that role was asked to step down from his sleigh because he is under investigation for, allegedly, providing a firearm to a felon.
“They loved my Santa suit,” Ellis said Wednesday of city officials. “They said our Santa is not working out and would I be the city Santa. They passed me the torch. I was dressed and ready to go to the Santa House last week when they called and said I wasn’t needed.”
Ellis said shortly thereafter two Elwood police officers went to his house and told him the city didn’t want him ho-ho-ho-ing uptown in his Santa outfit.
It’s quite a change in direction for Elwood officials.
Before last week, the city didn’t even do criminal background checks on those who applied to portray Santa in the Santa House and at the Elwood Christmas mall. They could be naughty, or they could be nice.
Admitting he has a criminal past, Ellis said he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from a traffic accident and was taking two medications that caused complications at the time of his felony arrests.
Ellis entered a plea of guilty in 2012 to a Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement. He received a two-year suspended prison sentence. He also pleaded guilty in 2012 to a misdemeanor charge of battery. He was sentenced to six months, which was suspended.
Vallee Ellis said her husband was taking two medications when he was arrested. She noted he has stopped taking one of the medications and has not had behavioral problems since.
“He loves this Christmas stuff,” Vallee Ellis said. “He lost his mom and dad and brother all within a year, and he has been kind of depressed and at a lot of loss all at once. (He) loves to go uptown and talk to all the kids because it makes him feel better.”
Elwood Police Chief Phil Caldwell said he has told his officers that, because of Ellis’ criminal record, he is not to portray Santa on the city’s property.
City officials say Ellis has no business being in areas frequented by the city’s official Santa. They don’t want him treading on the official big guy’s turf.
“There is no way we can have a guy playing Santa if they can’t pass the background check,” said Elwood city spokesman Jeff Howe. “I know we can’t keep him from walking around the city. But we do not want people to presume he is the city’s Santa.”
After being told he would be arrested for trespassing if he dresses as Santa, Ellis said this jolly old elf will no longer be coming to town.
“I am leery of (it) because I am afraid they will arrest me,” he said Thursday. “I am not going to let them take my spirit from me.”
Moyer and de la Bastide write for The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Indiana.