BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) — In court for a hearing in his perjury case Thursday morning, a judge granted Nick Houck a change of venue from Nelson County for his upcoming trial. A new location has yet to be determined.
Nick Houck was arrested in June and charged with multiple counts of perjury after Kentucky State Police alleged he made material false statements under oath during official proceedings connected to the Crystal Rogers investigation.
Court records allege the perjury occurred between July 15, 2015, and Aug. 16, 2023 — a timeline that begins shortly after Rogers disappeared and extends to just before his brother, Brooks Houck, was indicted. Investigators haven't publicly disclosed what they believe Houck lied about.
In court Thursday, Judge Charles Simms gave Nick Houck and his attorney until Aug. 28, the date of his next hearing, to reach an agreement on a new county for his trial. Otherwise, each side will need to bring a list of 10 preferred counties to start. Simms will choose a new venue if they aren't able to come to a agreement.
"Give me a list of 10 counties that you think are counties where each side can get a fair trial," Simms said. "What I'm hoping is that there will be an overlapping county. If not, I'll find a place."
The trial is tentatively scheduled for November, though that date could change. If convicted, Nick Houck faces anywhere from one to five years in prison. His attorney and Rogers' mother, Sherry Ballard, declined to comment after Thursday's hearing.Â
Nick Houck was fired from the Bardstown Police Department in 2015 after then-Police Chief Rick McCubbin said he refused a direct order to cooperate with investigators and interfered with the Rogers investigation. During Brooks Houck's murder trial, prosecutors also described Nick Houck as an "unindicted co-conspirator."
His brother, Brooks Houck, is serving a life sentence after being convicted of murdering Crystal Rogers and tampering with physical evidence. Although prosecutors proved Rogers was killed, her body has never been found.
Recent court filings show prosecutors plan to use grand jury testimony from July 2015, additional testimony from the years that followed, hours of interviews with Nick Houck and testimony from his former girlfriend, Amber Bowman, as evidence during the November trial.
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
