Sia faces
losing bail

The bankrupt businessman
was arrested in Los Angeles
for domestic battery

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By Tim Ruel
truel@starbulletin.com

Busted businessman Sukamto Sia faces having his bail revoked in his federal criminal case in Honolulu, following his recent arrest by the Los Angeles police on a charge of domestic battery.

Sia, 43, was arrested by West Los Angeles police at 2 a.m. Feb. 12, charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic battery and booked at Valley Jail in Van Nuys, Calif., according to inmate information records kept by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Sia was released a few hours later after posting bail of $2,500, the records show.

A domestic violence incident typically becomes classified as a misdemeanor, as opposed to a felony, if there are no physical signs of harm, but a scuffle is apparent, said a spokesman for the LAPD.

The records do not identify the victim or the site of the incident, and only show that Sia was charged with committing battery on someone who was a former spouse, a fiancee or a person he was dating.

For the past year, Sia has been living with his girlfriend Kelly Randall at an estate in the upscale Los Angeles district of Bel Air, which is just outside of the West Los Angeles police division. Sia's attorney Bill McCorriston could not be reached for comment.

The battery arrest could cause a major problem for Sia, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month in federal court in Honolulu on criminal charges. He pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud and wire fraud in October, shortly before his trial was to start.

Sia already faces up to 40 months in federal prison and fines of as much as $1.5 million when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra on March 21.

Following his August 2000 arrest by the FBI, Sia has been under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services. Sia's arrest for battery violates the terms of his release, according to a letter signed by Michael S. McCollum, an officer of the U.S. Pretrial Services.

Because of the battery arrest, Sia must appear in federal court to explain why his $1.5 million bail, secured by residential properties in Hawaii, should not be revoked, federal court records show. A hearing is scheduled for March 6 before Judge Ezra.

"I believe [Sia] will appear in person," said Mark Recktenwald, an assistant U.S. attorney assigned to the case.

The court could do nothing, adjust the conditions of Sia's release, or place him into prison immediately at the new federal detention center near Honolulu Airport.

Recktenwald declined comment on specifics of the Los Angeles arrest. The U.S. Attorney's Office has not officially taken a position on whether Sia's bail should be revoked.

As part of Sia's release conditions, he is monitored electronically and watched by private guards that are approved by the federal court.

It is not clear how he could have been involved in a battery incident while under such monitoring.

A hearing is also scheduled in Los Angeles municipal court on March 5.

The maximum penalty for misdemeanor domestic battery is one year in jail and a fine of $2,000.