Co-workers shocked by molestation charges Newport Beach-based...

Co-workers shocked by molestation charges

Newport Beach-based Pacific Care insurance company employees are

disturbed by the arrest of two of their co-workers who have been

accused of engaging in sexual acts with several girls as young as 3,

a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies raided the Rancho Santa Margarita

home of David Shouthy Hwang and his new wife, Sheila Marie Sikat, 23,

last week and found more than 100 homemade video tapes of Hwang

molesting the girls, officials said.

Hwang has been with the Newport Beach company for about four years

and Sikat for about three years, said John Soller, public relations

manager for Pacific Life.

“Upon learning of their arrests, both were placed on

administrative leave,” he said.

Soller said Hwang and Sikat worked in different areas, but worked

out of the Newport Beach corporate office.

“Some of our employees are definitely disturbed,” he said.

“Especially those close to then. We’ve been providing counseling and

support service to those to need them.”

Hwang has been charged with 21 counts of child molestation and his

wife with four counts of child molestation and one count of recording

minors engaged in sex acts.

Sikat was released on Saturday after she posted a $150,000 bail.

Hwang is still being held without bail in Orange County jail.

Arrest in Newport sidelines UCLA player

UCLA quarterback John Sciarra has been suspended for Saturday’s

game against the University of Illinois because of an arrest last

month in Newport Beach for disorderly conduct, public intoxication

and giving false information to police, UCLA Sports Information

Director Marc Dellins said Tuesday.

The case is still under review by the Orange County District

Attorney’s Office. An arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 22

at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

Sciarra was arrested at 1:20 a.m. Aug. 8 in Newport Beach, said

Sgt. Steve Shulman of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Sciarra -- a redshirt sophomore -- and Chad Heydorff were

approached by police officers at the 2600 block of Newport Boulevard

after police received a call from a store manager, Shulman said.

“The police officers contacted John at the entrance of the store

and, in their opinion, he was intoxicated and they took him into

custody,” Shulman said.

Sciarra gave a false name to the police officers, according to

Shulman. But, “we knew the original name he gave us wasn’t his true

name,” Shulman said.

Sciarra eventually revealed his real name, Shulman said.

Sciarra did not inform the Bruin coaching staff of his arrest

until Monday when a reporter told UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero

of the arrest, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

“I am very disappointed that John did not come forward with the

information until asked,” Bruin coach Karl Dorrell said in a

statement released Tuesday by UCLA. “I respect the fact that John’s

lawyer advised John to let him handle the matter through the legal

process, but I expect our players to come to our coaches when a

situation occurs.”

Sciarra -- whose father, John Sciarra Sr., was an All-American

quarterback at UCLA in 1976 -- has declined to talk to the media,

UCLA assistant sports information director Steve Rourke said.

“I don’t believe he’s expressed any interest to say anything,”

Rourke said.

Sciarra’s attorney, Vincent LaBarbera, told the Associated Press

that he advised Sciarra not to tell UCLA about the incident.

“Naturally, John is very upset,” LaBarbera said. “This is a young

man who has never had any prior problems with the law or other

discipline problems.

“My take on this is he might have made a mistake, but what

20-year-old hasn’t had a few beers?”

-- Edgar Melik-Stepanyan