U.S. Army Sergeant Who Got Into It With A Young Black Man In SC Has Been Arrested Even Though New Information On Sexual Harassment Has Come Out

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A viral video showing a white man in Richland County, South Carolina confronting a Black man who was walking on the sidewalk outside of his home has led to an arrest.

The video is being investigated by police, Fort Jackson military officials, and the Department of Justice, and has drawn protesters to the neighborhood.

The sheriff confirmed Jonathan Pentland has been arrested and charged with third-degree assault and battery. That charge carries a maximum penalty of a $500 fine or 30 days in jail.

The soldier claims the younger man is “harassing the neighborhood,” which he describes as “tight knit.”

In a previous news report by WISTV, which since has scrubbed the informtion, the article read:

In the first incident on April 8, a female told deputies she and another person were walking on Lakemont Drive at about 10 p.m. when they were approached by a man who put his arm around her waist, according to an incident report.

After she pushed him away from her, the man returned again and put his hand down the right side of her shorts, the incident report said.

The female told deputies that she “frantically” pushed his hand away, causing her to be exposed as her shorts partly came down. As she was pulling her shorts up, the man again put his arm around her waist before the female and the person she was walking with ran back to their home, according to the incident report.

In the second incident on April 10, a second female told deputies she was walking in the neighborhood with a 1-year-old boy about 7 p.m. The female was babysitting the 1-year-old, who was in a stroller, Deputy Brittany Hart told The State.

A man walking toward them “swung around and started to reach out” to the 1-year-old, according to an incident report.

The female said she initially thought the man was just going to talk to and look at the baby, the incident report said. She told deputies the man actually picked up the baby, without permission, and started to head off when she grabbed the 1-year-old and tried to walk away.

The man reacted by again grabbing the baby and telling the female “that this is not her child and she does not have the right to allow people to hold the child,” according to the incident report.

As they argued, the female again took the baby back and quickly headed home, she told deputies.

Deputies previously shared reports that claimed to detail two incidents involving the young man in the video. Lott said those reports may be connected to what happened, but “it doesn’t justify it.”

The sheriff said the young man was a victim and he will not face any charges. Lott confirmed the victim is not a juvenile.