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Authorities Identify Suspect In Pine City Playground Sexual Assault

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The suspect arrested in connection to a playground sexual assault in Pine City is a 27-year-old Wyoming, Minnesota man, according to the Pine County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say the assault took place just after 9 p.m. Tuesday at Robinson Park. The female victim -- age unknown at this time -- said that she was on the playground when a man approached her and asked numerous times for her to get in his car with him.

When she refused to go, the man then forcibly removed her pants and sexually assaulted her. During the assault, the victim said that a person in the area yelled to them and the man told her to be quiet. After the assault, the man reportedly got into his car and drove off.

On Thursday, the sheriff's office said the suspect is Robert Lowell Holden III. He was arrested late Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect in a followup interview with the victim. She also told authorities that her and Holden were Facebook friends, but never met in person and didn't arrange to meet that day.

According to the sheriff's office, Holden told investigators he traveled to Pine City to meet the victim and admitted to assaulting her – even saying that the victim tried to fight him off and yell for help.

Holden remains in Pine County Jail pending formal charges, which are expected by noon Friday. He has a prior conviction in January 2016 for fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct out of Anoka County.

He was convicted after inappropriately touching a then 22-year-old woman who was friends with his sister and staying overnight at his home.

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