Man pleads guilty in Deseret Industries sex attack on young girl

WEST JORDAN — A man charged with sexually assaulting a girl in the bathroom of a Deseret Industries store in Sandy has pleaded guilty.

Richard Chad Randall, 42, pleaded guilty Tuesday in 3rd District Court to child kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, both first-degree felonies. Charges of rape and sodomy were dismissed. He faces up to life in prison.

The 5-year-old girl testified at a preliminary hearing in November that Randall "scared" her in the Sept. 7 incident. Her mother testified that she let her daughter browse the toy aisle alone and then discovered her in the bathroom with Randall.

Other customers tackled Randall as he tried to run from the store.

His sentencing is set for Feb. 16. Prosecutors said Tuesday the girl's family would like to speak at the sentencing because they do not believe Randall, a previously convicted sex offender, has admitted to everything that happened.

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