Newport Tree Trimmer Charged in Molestation : Crime: Police say they found photos in his apartment of two other children they believe he molested.

A Newport Beach tree trimmer was charged Wednesday with multiple counts in the molestation of a 3-year-old girl in the yard of a home where he was working, and police say he may have molested other children in the area.

Michael A. Fries, 31, runs his All Trees business out of his apartment in the 1200 block of Park Newport Drive, Sgt. Andy Gonis said.

He was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of molesting a 3-year-old girl the previous day, and Gonis said police found photographs in his apartment of two other youngsters they believe that Fries molested.

“We’re not specifying numbers, but what it boils down to is the photos were of two unidentified children, one of whom he was touching in a sexual manner,” Gonis said. “That is why we are asking anyone who has kids and has used him to call us.”

Fries has lived in Newport Beach for about a year, Gonis said, moving here from Mill Valley in Northern California. He was charged in Municipal Court in Newport Beach of five counts of child molestation and one count of aggravated sexual assault on a child.

A municipal judge Wednesday increased Fries’ bail from $50,000 to $250,000, Gonis said.

Gonis said the child was alone with Fries in the yard. She was not physically injured.

Police ask anyone who may have used Fries’ tree-trimming services and has children who might have spent time with Fries unsupervised to contact the detective division at (800) 550-NBPD.

“The fact that he did this in an open yard, where he had been hired to do a job, is very unusual,” Gonis said.