Mission Viejo Man Accused of Murrieta Motorcycle Theft

One man got his motorcycle back, but a Mission Viejo man has been accused of stealing it.

Murrieta Police charged James Lee Stepp, 43, with three felonies, including taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.

Earlier that day, a man who lost his motorcycle four days before . He said he saw his motorcycle while driving down I-15.

The man told police he lost site of the driver at the northbound California Oaks Road offramp.

Police found Stepp and a passenger at . They also found the motorcycle, which was given back to the victim.

Stepp was arrested and the passenger was released. Later that day Stepp was released after posting $5,000 bail.

Stepp's Record:

Here is a partial list of Stepp's criminal record in Orange County:

• In 1990, Stepp pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to about 17 months in jail.
• In 1995, Stepp pleaded guilty to the sale or transport of controlled substances and was sentenced to three years in state prison.
• In 2002, Stepp pleaded guilty to four counts of possession or receipt of items as forgery, a felony. He spent 16 months in state prison.