A medical doctor who volunteered at Newport Harbor High School sporting events is facing charges of sending two teenage cheerleaders sexually motivated messages through social media. David Lee Haller, a 51-year-old Newport Beach resident, could spend two years behind bars in county jail if convicted of misdemeanor counts of child annoyance.
At the time of the accused crimes, Haller also volunteered his medial expertise with the UC Irvine Spirit Squad cheerleader team. The Register noted in 2015 that the doctor belonged to a group of sports medicine specialists assembled by Kaiser Permanente Orange County. But law enforcement honed in on Haller’s time at Newport Harbor High School in late 2017.
The Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office states that Haller slid into a high school cheerleader’s Instagram direct messages with inappropriate sexting. The doctor stands accused of doing the same to another cheerleader two months later, only this time over Snapchat. The victims reported the incidents to the Newport Beach Police Department who identified Haller with the help of UC Irvine campus police.
Haller faces arraignment on the child annoyance charges next week at Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. Deputy district attorney Stephanie Caughlin is prosecuting the case.
In the meantime, anyone with additional information about Haller or who may be another victim is urged to contact OCDA supervising investigator Paul Carvo at 714-835-5025.
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!