James Norkin - Repeat Sex Offender - Molests Girl on Bus - Caught on Camera

Laguna Beach - A 48-year-old man who allegedly molested a teenage girl on a bus in Laguna Beach was in custody today, and authorities called for other possible victims to come forward.

James Norkin was detained by his parole officer on Wednesday for failure to register as a sex offender, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

The parole officer saw news reports about the search for the bus molester and contacted sheriff's detectives, said department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Norkin, who was being tracked with a GPS device, was called to his parole officer's Costa Mesa office on Wednesday because he wasn't where he said he was, Amormino said.

He was taken directly to the state prison in Chino, where deputies today confirmed he was their suspect in the Sunday afternoon groping incident on an Orange County Transportation Authority bus in Laguna Beach, Amormino said.

The alleged victim got on the bus with two other girls younger than 15, and as they rode to Laguna Niguel, Norkin sat down next to them about 3 p.m. and allegedly touched one of the girls in a sexual manner, Amormino said.

The girl was so frightened she did not move, but one of her friends saw what was happening and yelled at the man to stop, Amormino said.

Norkin, who got off the bus at the Laguna Hills Mall stop, has a prior record of indecent exposure, Amormino said.

He said anyone else who may have been molested by Norkin should call the sheriff's department at (866) TIP-OCSD.

Amormino said OCTA buses "are extremely safe. It's a rarity this happened on the bus."

He credited the agency's surveillance system for helping to catch the suspect.

"They have one of the best surveillance systems I've ever seen," Amormino said. "We have several angles, and the sound is good. This dangerous predator is off the street, and this is a good example of law enforcement and the media working together."

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte

"On average most sex offenders are never caught again for a new sex offense, after five years, between 10 and 15 percent of sex offenders are detected, often convicted, of committing a new sex offense. If you follow them for ten years the rates go up somewhat, if you follow them as long as we’ve been able to follow them, which is about 20 years, the rates go up to somewhere between 30 to 40 percent of the total sample will eventually be caught for a new sex offense."

Dr. R. Karl Hansen