School counselor charged with molesting children sees more accusers

A former Ventura County school counselor, who was arrested in November on suspicion of molesting eight young children, has been charged with 14 additional felony counts of lewd acts upon a child after five more victims came forward, authorities said.

David Lane Braff, Jr., 42, of Thousand Oaks now faces 31 counts of child molestation involving a total of 13 male and female victims, according to an amended criminal complaint filed Tuesday by prosecutors from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. He is set to be arraigned on the new charges on May 21, prosecutors said.

Braff was initially accused of molesting eight students ages 6 to 10 in a school office at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula, where he worked as a counselor from 2015 to 2019. In November he pleaded not guilty to 17 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, according to court documents.

He is currently being held in Ventura County jail in lieu of $3-million bail.

Since his arrest, four additional victims have come forward from from McKevett Elementary School. In addition, a fifth new victim has come forward who was allegedly abused between 2004 and 2005, while Braff was employed at the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.

“The defendant is now accused of molesting even more young victims across multiple years and locations,” Ventura Dist. Atty. Eric Nasarenko said in a statement. “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.”

Over the last 24 years, Braff has worked at 10 different school districts and youth sports facilities in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, prosecutors said. He has held numerous positions including counselor, sports coach, child-care assistant, substitute teacher and behavioral therapist.

At the time of his arrest, Braff was working as an assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Winnetka, prosecutors said.

He faces sentencing enhancements alleging that he took advantage of a position of trust, preyed on particularly vulnerable victims and committed the crimes with planning and sophistication.

Prosecutors are continuing to seek additional victims and encourage anyone with information related to Braff’s alleged abuse to contact Investigator Greg Webb at (805) 477-1627.

Braff’s former places of work include the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Moorpark Unified School District, the ABA Network, Inc., Bright Star Schools, Rio School District, Sports Academy Thousand Oaks and the Ventura Unified School District.