A moon-faced assistant principal accused of molesting girls as young as six carried out his sick plans with “planning, sophistication or professionalism,” prosecutors allege.
David Braff, 42, appeared in court. in Ventura County, California, charged Friday with 17 counts of lewd acts against children — the oldest of whom was just 10.
He allegedly committed the crimes against eight different girls over a four-year period while working as a counselor at McKevett Elementary in Santa Paula, about 70 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
At the time of his arrest, Braff was working as an assistant principal at Ingenium Charter Middle School, 40 miles east of Winnetka.
The suspected child molester appeared before a judge Friday in blue jail scrubs and said nothing during his brief scheduled arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court.
At the request of defense attorney Nicholas Gray, Judge Paul Kawai agreed to continue Braff’s arraignment until Jan. 24 next year and remanded him to the Ventura County Jail, where he has been held since his Nov. 22 arrest.
Braff, of Thousand Oaks, California, was detained after authorities launched an investigation into sexual abuse allegations against him in October.
“The defendant is accused of abusing multiple elementary school children over a number of years, violating the trust placed in him by parents, educators and the public,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko.
David Lane Braff, 42, who has been in custody since his Nov. 22 arrest, was seen Friday during his arraignment hearing in blue jails in Ventura County Superior Court.
The school principal and counselor are charged with 17 counts of lewd acts against a child under the age of 14, which allegedly occurred over a four-year period while he worked at McKevett Elementary.
Prosecutors say the alleged crimes took place in a school office between 2015 and 2019 and that the victims were between six and 10 years old.
According to prosecutors, the alleged crimes involve ‘vulnerable’ victims.
Shocked by the charges against him, Ingenium Charter released a lengthy statement saying school staff were “devastated.”
“When Ingenium learned of the allegations from McKevett Elementary in Ventura County, it took immediate action to ensure the safety of its students,” the statement continued.
“We consider the safety and well-being of our students to be our highest priority, and we strive to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community.
‘We are working closely with the relevant authorities and will continue to provide any assistance necessary to support the investigation.
The charter school also encouraged others who knew potential victims to cooperate with law enforcement.
The Santa Paula United School District issued a similar statement, saying it was “working closely with law enforcement” in investigating crimes Braff allegedly committed against young children in an office at McKevett Elementary.
Braff, 42, is accused of harassing eight female students between the ages of six and 10 at a school office at McKevett Elementary in Santa Paula between 2015 and 2019
Braff was working as the assistant principal at Ingenium Charter Middle School at the time of his arrest
Police are still investigating Braff’s work history, but it is believed he may have held jobs at other California schools and may also have volunteered with various youth organizations.
“Given the defendant’s history of repeatedly gaining access to children, this investigation and prosecution remains ongoing,” added prosecutor Nasarenko, who urged the public to come forward if they have information about Braff.