Charges filed against man accused of child sex assault | News

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that formal charges have now been filed against a man accused of kidnapping and sexually molesting a child last week at a Deseret Industries store in Sandy. Richard Chad Randall is facing four first degree felonies including kidnapping, rape of a child, sodomy upon a child and aggravated sexual assault.

Two of those charges carry a 25-years-to-life sentence.

Randall is a convicted sex offender who completed his probation before allegedly committing the crime. The alleged incident happened Sept. 7 in Sandy at a Deseret Industries thrift store.

Prosecutors say a mother and her 4-year-old daughter were shopping when the mother could not find the girl.

The mother checked the bathrooms, then heard her daughter screaming from inside the mens' bathroom. It was locked and she pounded on the door.

"Mr. Randall eventually opened the door, shouldered to his way past, and tried to flee the store," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra Miller. "The mother then went inside and found her daughter there. Luckily witnesses were able to apprehend Mr. Randall in the parking lot. They tackled him and held him until the police arrived."

Prosecutors said it was a chaotic scene. Some witnesses came forward and told police what happened. Officers believe other witnesses may have left so they are hoping they will come forward with more information.

Randall remains in the Salt Lake County Jail on a $1 million cash only bail. He is expected to make his first court appearance later on Monday or Tuesday.