Suspect arrested in sexual assaults at Santa Monica College

A suspect was arrested Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting female Santa Monica College students.

A warning had been issued by campus police on Thursday saying they had received a report about a man befriending female students in an outdoor seating area south of Drescher Hall.

After befriending the women, the suspect would then lure his victims off campus and sexually assault them, campus police said.

In a statement Monday afternoon to the Corsair student newspaper, Santa Monica College Chief of Police Johnnie Adams said:

“Today at approximately 8:20 a.m., Christopher Noah Griddine II, age 27, was taken into custody on a probable cause arrest warrant for felony sexual assault. The arrest was made on the SMC Campus by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with the assistance of the Santa Monica College Police. Mr. Griddine was transported to South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station with a bail of $1,000,000.

“This is an active investigation being conducted by the Sheriff’s department questions about the case should be directed to them. Should you have any information that would assist with this investigation, you are encouraged to call Sergeant Belen Lemus of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at 562-946-7012.”