BRATTLEBORO -- Vermont State Police on Tuesday arrested a Norwich man in connection to a sexual assault of a minor under the age of 10 at Santa's Land in Putney in 2009 and 2010.

Todd E. Jardin, 38, was being held at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield for lack of $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Windham Superior Court Wednesday.

According to a report, police in May began an investigation into Jardin after receiving a complaint of a sexual assault. A three-month investigation showed probable cause that Jardin had been involved in the allegation and he was taken into custody without incident.

It is unclear, according to the police report, whether Jardin was working at Santa's Land at the time of the assault, or if he was a customer.

Santa's Land closed on Dec. 18, 2011, after 54 years in operation. The owners blamed a decrease in revenues.


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