SoCal School Counselor Charged with Molestation of 15 Children – School Sex Abuse Lawyers

A former Ventura County school counselor previously arrested on the suspicion of sexually molesting 13 children is now facing additional charges after 2 more victims were identified. The additional charges facing David Lane Braff, Jr., a 42-year-old from Thousand Oaks, were announced on October 23, 2025, by the Ventura County DA’s Office.

Braff was arrested on November 22, 2024, for the alleged molestation of 8 students at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula, California. The alleged crimes were said to have occurred between 2015 and 2019 while the suspect worked as a counselor. At the time of Braff’s arrest, he held the position of assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles, California.

Just a few months later, on April 29, 2025, prosecutors identified 5 new victims and filed an amended criminal complaint to include 14 new felony counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14. Of the newly identified victims, 4 of them were also students at McKevett Elementary School. The fifth victim was allegedly abused between 2004 and 2005 while Braff worked with the Conejo Recreation and Park District in Thousand Oaks.

On October 22, 2025, there was another amendment to the criminal complaint to include 2 new victims; the first victim was also a student at McKevett Elementary School, while the second victim was a student at Bright Star Schools in Los Angeles, where the suspect worked from November 2019 to December 2021.

In short, Braff is currently being accused of molesting a total of 15 children. The number of violations has increased to 33 counts of lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, according to prosecutors. Allegations include taking advantage of a position of trust, preying on vulnerable victims, and committing crimes with planning/sophistication.

Braff’s work history over the past 25 years demonstrate that he has held multiple jobs at schools and working with children, in general. Past employers include the following:

• Conejo Recreation and Park District

• Conejo Valley Unified School District

• Moorpark Unified School District

• The ABA Network, Inc.

• Santa Paula Unified School District

• Bright Star Schools, Los Angeles

• Rio School District, Oxnard

• Sports Academy, Thousand Oaks

• Ventura Unified School District, Ventura

• Ingenium Charter Middle School, Canoga Park

Ventura County DA Erik Nasarenko made the following statement:

“[Braff] 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.”

During the arraignment on October23, 2025, Braff pleaded not guilty to the new charges. He remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail without bail. Braff’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 6, 2026 at the Ventura County Superior Court. The case remains under investigation.

If you or a member of your family suffered sexual abuse or molestation at the hands of David Lane Braff, Jr., you should seek legal help as soon as possible. Based on the details surrounding your specific situation, you could have the right to file a lawsuit. You could also be eligible to recover compensation. If you are interested in learning more about the legal options available to you and your family, contact our legal team as soon as possible.

Here at the Kenmore Law Group, our child molestation lawsuit lawyers are more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and help you secure justice. If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, contact us today.

The Effects of Childhood Sexual Molestation and Sex Abuse

Without a doubt, sexual molestation and abuse in schools and other places that are supposed to be safe for children can have lasting consequences. Although affected children are likely to suffer immediate harm, long-term harm is also likely. The harm that may occur could include the following:

• Sexually transmitted infections

• Pregnancies and complications related to pregnancies

• Injuries to genitals

• Injuries to reproductive organs

• Broken bones, dislocations, lacerations, and other physical injuries from the use of force or physical struggles

• Psychological harm, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, fear, panic, etc.

• Increased risk of substance abuse

• Increased risk of self-harm

• And more

Survivors of child sexual abuse may suffer from the effects of sexual abuse for the rest of their lives and in different aspects. For example, some survivors may struggle holding down jobs because of issues with authority figures or some may struggle to form normal family relationships. No matter the specific harm that you or a member of your family suffered, it is important that you pursue your legal options even if has been decades since the abuse happened.

Do I have the Right to File a Lawsuit?

Yes, you could have the right to file a lawsuit for sexual abuse, even if that sexual abuse happened many years ago. In general, the right to sue is based on the specific entity’s responsibility to keep children safe. For example, school districts have a duty to keep all students in their schools safe. Sports academies also have the duty to keep all the children playing on their teams safe. In general, these entities have the duty to ensure that all their employees pass background checks, are appropriately trained, are appropriately supervised, and that there have the necessary policies and procedures in place to identify and address sexual abuse. When these entities fail to keep kids safe, then they can be liable for all resulting harm and can be sued.

Do I have the right to file a lawsuit if the sexual abuse happened many years ago? Yes, even if the abuse happened when you were a child many years ago, you could still have the right to file a lawsuit. Survivors of child sex abuse may even have the right to file class action claims.

The Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Claims

How long do I have to file a lawsuit for sexual abuse that happened when I was a child?

This is a very important question. In general, all claims are subject to a statute of limitations, or a deadline to sue. If claimants do not file their claims on time, then they can lose their right to sue altogether. However, traditional deadlines do not apply to child sexual abuse claims.

In California, for child sexual abuse that happened before January 1, 2024, claimants will have until their 40^th birthday (or 5 years from the discovery of the harm caused by the abuse) to file a claim. In the incident mentioned above, the abuse happened before 2024, meaning that survivors will have until the age of 40 or even longer to file their claims. To ensure that you understand exactly how long you have to file your claim, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.

Contact Kenmore Law Group

Our team is committed to fighting for the rights of survivors of child sex abuse and is not afraid to take on any party or entity to get child victims justice. It does not matter whether the abuse happened decades ago, you could still have the right to file a claim. Our firm is committed to remaining as accessible as possible for survivors and their families, so we offer free case evaluations. These free case reviews include free initial consultations and free second opinions. Whether you are looking to start or continue your claim, you can be certain that our experts are more than ready to answer your questions, address all your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to either begin or continue your child sex abuse case. To schedule a free case evaluation with the experts at Kenmore Law Group, contact us today.

Our team offers a Zero-Fee Guarantee, meaning that you will never be required to pay any upfront legal fees to speak with our experienced lawyers. In addition, our firm works on contingency, meaning that you will not be responsible for paying anything if your claim is not successful. You can contact us without worrying about any legal expenses whatsoever.

Contact us today to learn more about the options available to you.