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By Lookout Staff

September 26, 2022 -- A suspected sexual predator who was luring female students from Santa Monica College's (SMC) main campus was arrested Monday morning, according to college police.

SMC student Christopher Noah Griddine II, 27, was taken into custody at around 8:20 a.m. on a probable cause arrest warrant for felony sexual assault, SMC Police Chief Johnnie Adams said in a statement.

Griddine was arrested at a campus parking structure by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department with the assistance of SMCPD in connection to two sexual assaults, authorities said.

“Both victims were students at Santa Monica College and reported similar experiences wherein they met a male adult suspect on the college campus, whom they believed to be a fellow student,” according to a statement issued Monday by the Sheriff's Department.

“In each incident, the victims agreed to socialize with the suspect off-campus. While off-campus, the suspect drove the victims to secluded areas within the Malibu Canyon area, where he sexually assaulted them.

"After assaulting the victims, the suspect drove them back to their homes,” the Sheriff's Department said.

Griddine, who authorities say has a prior criminal record, was taken to South Los Angeles Sheriff's Station with a bail of $1 million, Adams said in the statement.

Griddine's arrest comes less than four days after SMC police issued an alert Thursday evening warning that a sexual predator was befriending female students near the outdoor tables south of Descher Hall.

“Once the subject befriends the victim he then lures the victim off campus with the pretense of ‘hanging out,’” Adams said. “The subject then sexually assaults the victim."

Adams said the case is being handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department because "it occurred off campus in their jurisdiction," according to a statement issued to The Corsair on Thursday.

He told the SMC student newspaper that SMCPD "felt it best to be transparent to protect our community."

"The safety of our students is our number one priority," Adams said.

In a statement Monday afternoon, SMCPD said the school strives to be "one of the safest colleges in California.

"The alleged actions of this arrested individual are not indicative of the behavior or conduct of those in our community,” the department said.

“Santa Monica College is a safe, inclusive and dynamic learning environment that supports academic programs and services intended to serve diverse individuals from local, national and global communities.”

The incidents are currently under investigation by the Sheriff's department, which believes there could be other possible victims.

Anyone with information concerning the incidents should call Sergeant Belen Lemus of the Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at 562-946-7012.