RICHLAND COUNTY, SC — A man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old trick-or-treater has been arrested.

William Brown, 56, is charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor and kidnapping. Police accuse him of assaulting a girl in the 300 block of Percival Road about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The girl was trick-or-treating with her sister and the two got separated, Richland County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Curtis Wilson said. Their mother and other community members started looking for the girl’s sister, and the girl was left alone.

A man approached her and fondled her, Wilson said. She yelled for the man to get off of her, and her mother and other community members told deputies they found Brown on top of the girl with his pants around his knees.

Community members held Brown until deputies arrived. Brown was taken to Palmetto Health Richland hospital for treatment of mild injuries he received in a scuffle after the incident, deputies say. The girl was uninjured.

Brown is being held at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

Deputies are trying to determine if Brown might have been involved in any other similar incidents. If you have information on another incident, or were a victim of an attack, contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Department's’ special victims unit at (803) 576-3115.