Man Arrested, Accused of Sexually Assaulting 9-Year-Old BART Rider

SAN LEANDRO, CA — BART police arrested a 26-year-old man who allegedly sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl aboard a train near the Bay Fair Station in San Leandro on Sunday afternoon.

Around 3:40 p.m. Sunday, a 9-year-old girl was sitting on the train when a man sat next to her and began touching her legs and buttocks, according to BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost.

A family member of the girl intervened and they got off the train at the Bay Fair BART station and immediately reported the incident.

Police then responded to the Oakland Coliseum station, where they found the man still on the train and detained him.

The victim and a witness were able to identify the man as the suspect. Police identified him as Marcus Brown and arrested him on suspicion of sexual battery and molesting a child.

In addition to his arrest, Brown was also given a prohibition order, in which he may be forbidden from riding BART for up to a year.

— Bay City News; Image by Renee Schiavone, Patch