Uller Pleads Not Guilty to Sexually Abusing Minors

By Jorge Casuso

November 6, 2018 -- Santa Monica City employee Eric Uller pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that he sexually abused children as a Police Activities League (PAL) volunteer two decades ago.

Uller, 50, was charged with three counts of lewd acts upon a child, two counts of oral copulation of a person under 18 and one count of continuous sexual abuse, according to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges involve four victims who participated at PAL in the 1990s ("Santa Monica City Employee Charged with Five Counts of Sexual Crimes," October 23, 2018).

But since Uller's arrest last month, six more alleged victims have come forward., according to the LA County Sheriff's Department.

The incidents, which are part of an ongoing investigation, took place from the late 80s until possibly 2010, when Uller had access to hundreds of children as a PAL volunteer, according to the Sheriff's department.

“We want to make sure that this man stays locked up and he doesn’t harm any more young boys ever again,” Sheriff's Lt. Todd Deeds said at a news conference October 25.

Since his arrest allegations have surfaced that over the years City officials were warned about Uller, the City's lead public safety systems analyst ("High Ranking Santa Monica Officials Told About Alleged Child Molestation, School Board Member Says," October 22, 2018).

In response to the allegations, the City has launched an internal investigation ("Santa Monica City Officials Take Additional Actions as Sexual Assault Crisis Expands," October 25, 2018).

School Board member Oscar de la Torre, who heads the Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC), has called for the creation of a Citizen's Oversight Committee ("Pico Activist Calls for Citizens Oversight Committee for Uller City Probe, October 29, 2018).

City officials have rebuffed the request.

If convicted on the current charges, Uller could face more than 23 years in state prison.

Uller, who is scheduled to return to jail November 15, is being held in jail on $750,000 bail.