Newport man accused of molesting pre-teen

A 41-year-old Newport Beach man was in custody Wednesday after being arrested in Ladera Ranch, where authorities said he was waiting to meet a girl he had been molesting for at least a month.

Samuel Brent Robertson was booked on suspicion of molesting a girl under age 13 and kidnapping, said Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Police said Robertson met the girl on a social networking website before October and pretended to be 24 years old.

Amormino declined to identify the site, saying it would make the victim easy to identify.

In their first meeting in mid-October, Robertson picked up the girl from her middle school in Ladera Ranch and took her to an isolated area off Newport Beach's Back Bay hiking trails, where they had sex, officials said.

Because of her age, she is not capable of consenting to sex or traveling with Robertson, which is why he was booked on suspicion of both molestation and kidnapping, Amormino said.

On Nov. 1, Robertson picked the girl up from her house and took her to his home in Newport, where he molested her again, Amormino said.

He did the same thing again two days later, according to police.

Robertson was looking to rendezvous with the girl again Tuesday, and text messaged her to meet him at a greenbelt, or a small park, in Ladera Ranch, Amormino said.

The girl's mother found the text message, which had sexual innuendos, and called police, he said.

Officers staked out the park, and when Robertson showed up, he was arrested.

A search of his home lead police to believe there are more victims, Amormino said.

Robertson's arraignment is scheduled for Monday at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. He's being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim or has information in the case is asked to call authorities at (866)-TIP-OCSD.