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Man, 27, Charged In Pine City Playground Sexual Assault

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 27-year-old Wyoming, Minnesota man is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at a Pine City playground earlier this week.

Robert Lowell Holden III made his first appearance in Pine County Court Friday. He was charged of first-, second- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to the May 10 incident.

Authorities say the assault took place just after 9 p.m. Tuesday at Robinson Park. The female victim 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.

Holden was arrested in connection to the incident late Wednesday afternoon.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators were able to identify Holden 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.

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.

Holden's bail has been set at $150,000 without conditions and $400,000 without conditions. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 26.

If convicted, Holden could face up to 30 years in prison for the first-degree charge, 25 years for the second-degree charge and 15 years for the third-degree charge.

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