Police arrest music teacher

Marisa O’Neil

Police are seeking possible victims of a private music teacher

accused of molesting a local girl.

Newport Beach Police arrested Aaron William Hallas, 54, of Garden

Grove last week on suspicion of committing lewd acts on a child. The

arrest came after the elementary-school-aged girl saw a video about

child molestation and told her parents that her music teacher had

done that to her, Sgt. Steve Shulman said.

Police have not identified the girl because she is a minor.

The educational video, “It Happened to Me,” was produced by the

Boy Scouts of America, Shulman said.

Hallas had given the girl private piano lessons in her Newport

Beach home for “at least a couple years,” Shulman said. Police

suspect that there was more than one incident during that time, he

said.

Shulman said she was less than 8 years old at the time of the

alleged incidents, but he would not give a specific age.

According to a felony complaint filed by the Orange County

district attorney’s office, Hallas is accused of lewd acts with more

than one child under the age of 14 between November and December of

2003.

Police in another city filed a crime report in 2003, naming Hallas

in a similar incident there, Shulman said. He would not name the

city.

Hallas’ attorney, Michael R. Bruggeman, said Tuesday that his

client denies the charges and is cooperating with the investigation.

“We’re pretty eager to get this sorted out in court,” Bruggeman

said. “He is eagerly awaiting his chance to vindicate himself.”

Hallas was arraigned at Harbor Justice Center on Feb. 4, district

attorney’s office spokesman Mark Macaulay said. Hallas is being held

at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail and is scheduled

to appear in court Feb. 17. Anybody who has information about other

possible victims is asked to contact Newport Beach Det. John Hougan

at (949) 644-3790.