Southern California school counselor charged with molesting 15 children

A former Ventura County school counselor, who was arrested on suspicion of molesting 13 children, was charged with additional crimes after two more child victims were identified.

The additional charges on David Lane Braff, Jr., 42, of Thousand Oaks, were announced by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 23.

Braff was previously arrested on November 22, 2024, for the alleged molestation of eight students at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula. The crimes allegedly occurred between 2015 and 2019 when Braff worked as a school counselor.

He was working as an assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles when he was taken into custody. 

On April 29, 2025, prosecutors identified five new victims and filed an amended criminal complaint, adding 14 new felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old.

Four of those victims were also students at McKevett Elementary School. The fifth victim was allegedly abused between 2004 and 2005 while Braff was working with the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.

On Oct. 22, 2025, prosecutors filed a second amended complaint after two more child victims were identified.

One of the new victims was a student at McKevett Elementary School and the other was a student at Bright Star Schools in Los Angeles, where Braff worked from around November 2019 to December 2021.

Braff is now accused of molesting 15 children and the total number of charged violations has increased to 33 counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14, prosecutors said.

The charges also include allegations that Braff took advantage of a position of trust, preyed on particularly vulnerable victims and committed the crimes with planning and sophistication.

Braff’s full employment history showed that he held numerous jobs that involved working with children over the past 25 years:

• 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)

“The defendant is now accused of molesting even more young victims across multiple years and locations,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko when Braff was last arrested. “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.”

The case remains under active investigation.

An arraignment hearing was held on Oct. 23, 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 Jan. 6, 2026, at Ventura County Superior Court.

Anyone who may have been a victim of Braff or has additional information on the case is urged to call Ventura County District Attorney Investigator Greg Webb at 805-477-1627.