A former Ventura County school counselor was arrested in November for allegedly harassing eight children and was charged with 14 other felony counts after five victims stepped up.
David Lane Braff, 42, of Thousand Oaks, now 31 counts of child charges involving 13 male and female victims, according to a revised criminal lawsuit filed Tuesday by prosecutors from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said he will be arraigned on May 21 in new charges.
Bluff was initially accused of harassing eight students aged 6 to 10 in a school office at McKeevet Elementary School in St. Paul, who worked as a counselor from 2015 to 2019. He pleaded not guilty to felony charges of a child under 14, and he pleaded not guilty to felony charges under 17, according to court documents.
Currently, he is being held in the Ventura County Jail in lieu of $3 million in bail.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that David Lane Braff, Jr., 42, of Thousand Oaks, was charged with 14 new felony counts on suspicion of abuse of five other victims.
(Ventura County DA)
Four other victims of McKeevet Elementary School have stepped forward since his arrest. Additionally, the fifth new victim allegedly abused between 2004 and 2005 stepped up, while Braff was hired at the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.
“The defendant is now accused of harassing more young victims in years and locations,” Ventura District. Atti. Eric Nasarenko said in a statement. “Our investigators and prosecutors remain committed to revealing the full scope of the defendant’s crime and we urge anyone with information to contact our office.”
Prosecutors said that over the past 24 years, Bluff has worked in 10 different school districts and youth sports facilities in Ventura and Los Angeles County. He has held many positions including counselors, sports coaches, child care assistants, substitute teachers and behavioral therapists.
At the time of arrest, Braff served as assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Winnetka.
He faces quantum enhancement, accusing him of taking advantage of trust, preying on particularly vulnerable victims and committing crimes in planned and mature ways.
Prosecutors are continuing to seek additional victims and encourage any information related to Bluff's abuse to contact investigator Greg Webb at (805) 477-1627.
Braff’s previous workplaces included the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Moorpark Unified School District, ABA Network, Inc. , Bright Star Schools, Rio School District, Sport School Thousand Oaks and Ventura Unified School District.