Crime & Safety

Updated: Police Arrest Man in Fridley Wal-Mart Child-groping Case

Columbia Heights search led to arrest in Crystal.

Update (4 p.m.): The man arrested Friday in the Fridley Wal-mart child-groping case will not be charged until Tuesday, according to Cmdr. Paul Sommer of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.

Sommer said officers from his department arrested the Columbia Heights resident without incident at his place of employment in Crystal.

According to the county website, he is now in the Anoka County jail.

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Original post (3:40 p.m.): Police arrested a 29-year-old Columbia Heights man Friday on suspicion of Monday.

According to a statement from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office Friday afternoon:

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An arrest was made today ... in the sexual assault that took place at the Fridley Wal-Mart on 12-26-11. A search warrant was executed at a home in the City of Columbia Heights and a suspect was arrested in the City of Crystal by Detectives from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigation Division. After the widespread media attention the case received there were multiple calls from the public identifying possible suspects.

The suspect has been arrested and will be booked into the Anoka County Jail for Criminal Sexual Conduct in the second degree. It should be noted that the suspect has been arrested, BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN FORMALLY CHARGED. The suspect will be due in court no later than noon on Tuesday, January 3d, 2012 and the final decision on charges will rest with the Anoka County Attorney’s Office.

The man arrested "has a criminal history that includes indecent exposure and similar groping incidents involving adult females," the statement said. 

The sheriff's office gave a home address for the suspect in the 4700 block of Fourth Street NE, Columbia Heights.

Editor's note: Fridley Patch doesn't generally name people arrested by police until they have been charged by prosecutors.


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