ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County community is on edge after a neighbor is charged with lewd and lascivious molestation.
The alleged victim is younger than 12.
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Bryan Brown, 38, was charged Thursday with first-degree lewd and lascivious molestation of a girl under the age of 12.
According to the arrest warrant, on multiple occasions between January and April, Brown entered the victim's bedroom and sexually assaulted her while she tried to sleep.
The report is redacted to protect the identity of the victim, so it's unclear where the alleged assault took place and why Brown had access to the child. But the report also states Brown is not related to the girl.
News4Jax spoke with at one of Brown's Greenleaf Village neighbors who said the allegations are troubling because of the number of young children living on the block.
"It serves up a lot of emotions, obviously very angry that this happens on a daily basis and the fact that it’s happening three houses up the street is pretty sickening," Lauren Klose said.
Brown is an investment adviser for Fidelity Investment in Jacksonville. When News4Jax called the business to see if it had knowledge of the allegations, one man said he knew Brown very well but knew nothing about the arrest. He then referred News4Jax to the corporate office.
Brown remains locked up on a $200,000 bond.
In the wake of his arrest, neighbors said when school is back in session they might not allow their children to walk to school by themselves. The nearest school is less than a quarter-mile from Brown's house.