Orange County Man Arrested in Molestation

A 38-year-old registered sex offender was arrested this weekend on suspicion of molesting a 5-year-old Santa Paula girl after coaxing her to follow him.

Brian Anthony Krips, an Orange County resident whom Ventura police say may have been visiting his brother in Ojai, was taken to Ventura County Jail about 5:30 p.m. Saturday. He is expected to be arraigned today, according to Ventura Police Officer Russ Robinson.

Krips allegedly offered a girl a puzzle in the toy section of the Retarded Children’s Thrift Store at 265 E. Main St. while her 29-year-old mother and two brothers shopped for clothes.

The mother said Sunday that she thought her daughter was being watched by her 7- and 9-year-old brothers.

Within five to six minutes of being separated, the mother said her daughter came back to her “very sad.”

“She had to tell me twice,” the mother said. “The first time her voice was really low. But then she said, ‘Mommy, a man touched my bottom.’ I believed her right away because she would never make up something like that.”

The suspect fondled her, Robinson said.

The mother said she asked her daughter to point out the stranger and the family began to search for the man.

They spotted him across the street at The Coalition Thrift Store and then they walked half a block to the police storefront station on Main Street.

Robinson detained Krips at the second thrift store, but Krips ran and Robinson chased him. The officer caught the suspect, who yelled at officers to “kill me, kill me,” outside the Ramada Clock Tower Inn on Santa Clara Street, Robinson said.

Krips was carrying a toy gun when he was arrested.

Because Krips was convicted on child molestation charges in the past, he is a sex offender who must register with police any time he relocates to a new city. Robinson said Krips, who had not contacted Ojai authorities, violated his parole by leaving Orange County.

The officer credited the 5-year-old girl for helping them with the arrest.

“She’s a bright little girl,” he said. “She showed her mom what happened right away.”

The girl’s mother said her daughter had a restful sleep Saturday night and appeared to be OK Sunday.

The woman said she had always warned her children not to talk to strangers, but that she never thought that someone would actually molest her child.

“I’m always careful with my children, but I’ve learned that you have to be even more careful,” she said. “I keep thinking: What if he grabbed her hand and just took her away from me?”

Police believe another little girl may have been molested about the same time Saturday. Anyone with information is urged to call the Ventura Police Department at 339-4400.