Costa Mesa man pleads not guilty to molestation charges

-- Deepa Bharath

A 71-year-old Costa Mesa man charged with molesting two girls -- ages

12 and 8 -- pleaded not guilty on all counts Friday.

James Harper, a Mesa Verde resident, was charged with two counts of

felony child molestation after two girls informed police of separate

alleged incidents at his house on Redwood Avenue.

Harper, who was arrested March 16 on suspicion of molesting the

12-year-old girl while she was selling candy, incurred an additional

felony charge for an alleged incident in November with the 8-year-old

girl, officials said.

Officials said the 8-year-old girl was at Harper’s house, playing with

his grandchildren in November, when Harper allegedly molested her.

Police had originally arrested Harper on suspicion of committing a

lewd act with a child and kidnapping. But the kidnapping charge was not

filed because both girls were in Harper’s house voluntarily, officials

said.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 26 at Harbor Justice

Center in Newport Beach. Harper is being held in Orange County Jail in

lieu of $50,000 bail.