UCLA RECEIVERS COACH ARRESTED BY LAPD PRIOR INCIDENTS REVEALED AFTER SCOTT IS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON BURGLARY CHARGES.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN

Staff Writer

UCLA receivers coach Eric Scott was arrested on suspicion of felony burglary Tuesday by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, and was placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday after it was learned he had prior arrests the school did not know about.

Scott, who was hired in March after spending a year as an intern in the UCLA football office, is a former Crenshaw High assistant coach. Also arrested were former Crenshaw players Jesus DeAlba and Timothy Williams.

The Bruins open training camp Aug. 6, and it is uncertain whether Scott will be on the field.

"We will continue to gather information regarding the case and will make a determination on Eric's status at the appropriate time," UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said.

Scott, 32, and the two other men were arrested at about 12:30 p.m. in front of a residence in the 11600 block of Pioneer Boulevard in Norwalk, after a possible home invasion was reported, said Sgt. Tera White, the Sheriff's station watch commander.

"Deputies were called (to a house)," White said. "It was a call for service. It wasn't an observation on deputies' part. They were called there by neighbors."

The investigation was slow moving because a resident of the house could not be located, according to Sheriffs Sgt. Leonard Rivas.

"From my preliminary investigation, it appears that a mistake was made by the Los Angeles Sheriff Deputies that should be cleared up within a few days," Scott's lawyer, Milton Grimes, said. "There is no evidence that any crime was committed by Eric Scott or anyone with him."

Scott could not be reached for comment.

Sources said DeAlba's cousin lives at the house, and when the group stopped by to pay a visit, DeAlba walked around the property in search of him. Sources added Scott remained in the car until police arrived, and was arrested only when he exited the car in an attempt to learn what was happening with DeAlba, 23, and Williams, 23.

"We're actually still trying to figure this thing out ourselves," Rivas said. "We have no victim. They're charged with burglary, but it's still an ongoing investigation. We're still trying to figure it out ourselves."

Rivas said a handgun was also found on the property. The handgun was not registered to Scott, DeAlba or Williams, and it was unclear whether the gun belonged to a resident of the home, he added.

All three men were released after posting $5,000 on a $50,000 bail, White said, but Scott's situation became more complicated later in the day.

While sources said UCLA is optimistic the charges against Scott will be dropped, likely clearing the way for him to be reinstated, news of prior run-ins with the law came as a surprise. Scott was arrested four times between 1994 and 2005, and twice was convicted and placed on probation. In 1994, he was charged with resisting arrest, and in 1996 he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm in public. Those charges were all dismissed, according to court documents.

However, in 2002, he was convicted of disturbing the peace and placed on one year probation, according to a Los Angeles Superior Court spokesperson. He was arrested again Jan. 5, 2005, and convicted of carrying a concealed weapon within a vehicle and sentenced to two years probation, the spokesperson said.

"Eric is the kind of young man, given his background, that knows his purpose in life is to help kids," Dorrell said. "He has helped so many kids over the last seven years graduate at Crenshaw and go on to college. I knew he had some rough spots growing up, coming from his inner-city neighborhood. He lost three brothers to violence, so yes, I knew he had some issues in his background. Some other information has surfaced during this investigation that I was not aware of. Eric was placed on probation and fulfilled his obligations for those issues.

"When you look at the big picture with Eric Scott -- given the positive impact he had on young people in high school, the fine work that he did as an intern in our office last year and the fact that he was a UCLA graduate -- we felt that the hiring of Eric was giving a good young man a chance to make a career for himself."

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