UPDATED: Rocky Fork Lake area man charged with additional child sex abuse offense
A Rocky Fork Lake area man arrested Tuesday on child sex abuse charges has been charged with a second count of gross sexual imposition after a photo shared on media and social media sites led investigators to a second victim.
James L. Murdoch, 46, was charged with a second count of gross sexual imposition on Thursday, Aug. 7 in Hillsboro Municipal Court, the day after being charged with the same offense against a different child.
Murdoch, currently held at the Highland County Justice Center, was charged with gross sexual imposition and child enticement involving a small child which occurred at a Rocky Fork Lake retail establishment on Aug. 2.
[[In-content Ad]]
Murdoch's original charge was from an incident involving a different small child on State Park property during the Memorial Day weekend. Investigators were aware of the second victim when Murdoch was arraigned on Aug. 6; however, they were unable to identify the victim. Through the use of social media, the identity of the young victim and her parents were discovered later on Wednesday.
The additional charges that Murdoch was arraigned on were the result of the second investigation.
Murdoch's bond was increased from the original $25,000 to $75,000 on the second charge, given the severity of the crime and the potential that there may be additional victims.
Each charge of gross sexual imposition carries a possible prison term of five years, with the child enticement charge carrying an additional six months.
Sheriff Richard Warner Jr. requests that anyone with information regarding any other potential victims contact the Highland County Sheriff's Office at (937) 393-1421.