SLED charges Ridgeway man with sex crimes

State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agents have arrested a man they say committed sex crimes in the 1980s and 1990s.

Douglas C. McFarland Sr., 79, was charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct and committing or attempting a lewd act upon a child under 16, according to Thom Berry, a SLED spokesman.

According to an arrest warrant, there were two different victims who were abused at McFarland’s home.

One of the victim’s family and McFarland’s family were friends, according to the warrant. McFarland is accused of assaulting the victim when she spent the weekend at his house while her parents were out of town.

The other incident involved one of McFarland’s neighbors, according to the warrant. The victim said she spent the night at McFarland’s house and woke up to find him inappropriately touching her.

McFarland was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to Berry.

This story was originally published April 3, 2015 at 8:44 AM with the headline "SLED charges Ridgeway man with sex crimes."