Thousand Oaks, CA – A former Ventura County school counselor, David Lane Braff, Jr., 42, has been charged with molesting 15 children after prosecutors identified additional victims. The case spans multiple school districts and years, highlighting a troubling pattern of alleged abuse involving minors.
Initial Arrest and Charges
Braff was first arrested on November 22, 2024, for allegedly molesting eight students at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula. The alleged crimes occurred between 2015 and 2019 while he was employed as a school counselor.
At the time of his arrest, Braff was working as an assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles. On April 29, 2025, prosecutors identified five additional victims, filing an amended criminal complaint that added 14 new felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14.
Four of the victims were students at McKevett Elementary, and one was allegedly abused between 2004 and 2005 while Braff worked for the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.
Further Charges and Expanded Investigation
On October 22, 2025, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office filed a second amended complaint after identifying two more child victims. One attended McKevett Elementary, and the other was a student at Bright Star Schools in Los Angeles, where Braff worked from November 2019 to December 2021.
With these additions, Braff now faces 33 counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, along with allegations of abusing a position of trust, targeting particularly vulnerable victims, and committing the crimes with planning and sophistication, as per KTLA.
Employment History Involving Children
Over the past 25 years, Braff held numerous positions working with children, raising concerns about the scope of his alleged crimes:
- Conejo Recreation and Park District, Thousand Oaks – Part-Time Gym Attendant/Part-Time Recreation Leader (April 2000 – August 2005)
- Conejo Valley Unified School District, Thousand Oaks – Intramural Sports Coach, Campus Supervisor, Childcare Assistant, Substitute Child Leader, Boys’ Freshman Basketball Coach (September 2003 – April 2015; Childcare Assistant 2012–2015)
- Moorpark Unified School District, Moorpark – Paraeducator and Campus Supervisor/Instructional Assistant (January 2006 – August 2015)
- The ABA Network, Inc., Thousand Oaks – Behavioral Therapist (July 2014 – August 2014)
- Santa Paula Unified School District, Santa Paula – McKevett Elementary School Counselor (August 2015 – November 2019)
- Bright Star Schools, Los Angeles – School Counselor (November 2019 – unknown)
- Rio School District, Oxnard – Substitute Teacher (September 2019 – unknown)
- Sports Academy, Thousand Oaks – Referee (June 2021 – November 2024)
- Ventura Unified School District, Ventura – Counselor (January 2022 – February 2023)
- Ingenium Charter Middle School, Canoga Park – Assistant Principal/School Counselor (March 2023 – November 2024)
Court Proceedings
An arraignment hearing was held on October 23, 2025, where Braff pleaded not guilty to the additional charges. He remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 6, 2026, at Ventura County Superior Court.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko emphasized:
“The defendant is now accused of molesting even more young victims across multiple years and locations. Our investigators and prosecutors remain committed to uncovering the full extent of this defendant’s crimes, and we urge anyone with information to contact our office.”
Ongoing Investigation
Investigators continue to work to identify additional victims and fully understand the scope of Braff’s alleged misconduct. Authorities urge anyone with knowledge of related incidents to contact the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office immediately.
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