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Nevada Co. Smoke Shop Clerk Accused Of Trapping Young Woman In Back Room, Attacking Her

NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) – A smoke shop's clerk is being accused of sexual battery against a young woman who was shopping at the store, authorities say.

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office says the incident happened on Sunday at the Hot Spot Smoke Shop along the 10000 block of Combie Road. A 20-year-old woman had walked into the store to buy something, but due to her being under 21 she couldn't.

However, the clerk reportedly offered to sell the woman tobacco products in a back room – out of view of the store's surveillance cameras.

The two went back into the room, but this is where the clerk allegedly started to attack her. The clerk reportedly pushed the young woman into a bathroom and told her to drink some hard alcohol. He also allegedly touched her and himself inappropriately and told her to orally copulate him.

Deputies say the ordeal ended when another customer went into the store and distracted the clerk enough for the woman to escape.

The clerk, identified as Ranjit Singh, was later interviewed by deputies and arrested.

Singh is facing charges of false imprisonment, kidnapping and sexual battery.

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