By Jeremy Z. Young

“Don’t tell what just happened.”

That is what one young minor was told after a man put his hand in her panties, a Knox County warrant claims.

Knox County Sheriff’s Officers have charged Randall Lynn Cate, 39, of Mascot, with sexual battery.

According to information from the victim, Cate came to her northeast Knox County residence June 30 while her step-father wasn’t home. He began talking about sexually related issues. He then asked her about her sexual experiences.

After Cate allegedly fondled the young girl, and told her not to tell, he left the residence.

The victim told her mother of the incident who reported it to police.

Cate was arrested July 7 for the crime and was held on a $20,000 bond. Cate has been ordered not to contact the girl or her mother and he must submit to DNA sampling.

According to Knox County General Sessions Court records, Cate has no criminal history in Knox County prior to this incident.

Sheriff’s officials were contacted in an effort to report the victim’s age and other details about the case, but the incident reports were marked as confidential and further information could not be released.