OCSD releases sketches in 2 similar incidents of child annoyance involving girls in Aliso Viejo

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (KABC) -- Orange County detectives are investigating whether two cases of a man touching girls who were walking to and from school in Aliso Viejo are connected.

The first incident happened Sept. 12 around 9 a.m. when a 12-year-old girl says a man touched her as she walked to Aliso Viejo Middle School.

She yelled and was able to run to school, where she reported the incident, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

The victim described the suspect as a man in his early 30s with dirty blond hair and a goatee who was wearing sunglasses and dressed in all-black clothing. An artist worked with authorities to make a composite sketch of the suspect, which was released Wednesday.

On Tuesday at about 4 p.m., a 16-year-old girl says the man depicted in a sketch released by authorities touched her while she was walking home from Aliso Niguel High School along the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail.

The victim slapped his hand away as the suspect pulled on her skirt, sheriff's officials say. She ran home and also reported the incident.

The suspect is described as a man between 30 and 40 years old, about 5'6" and weighing about 140 pounds with short black hair. The man was wearing sunglasses and dressed in a black collared shirt with tan cargo pants, the victim said.

Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff's Department at 714-647-7419, or submit an anonymous tip to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.