Former Jewell School teacher sent to prison after violating probation in sex abuse case

Published 11:30 am Wednesday, May 1, 2024

A former Jewell School teacher who was charged for sex crimes with one of his students has been sentenced to three years in prison after violating his probation.

David M. Brandon, 46, of Clatskanie, violated his probation terms regarding drug use.

He was initially convicted in Clatsop County Circuit Court in 2023 for two counts of rape in the third degree, sodomy in the third degree and unlawful delivery of a marijuana item.

He had been sentenced to 90 days in jail on the drug delivery charge and three years of supervised probation.

“He had time hanging over his head with the downward (departure) on the other charges, which was the 36 months,” prosecutor Marissa Snyder said. “And he was required to do all the standard sex offender type conditions as well as drug and alcohol conditions.”

Sobriety is generally a requirement for sex offender treatment programs. Due to testing positive for methamphetamine in February and again in March, Brandon was not eligible to continue the treatment.

“A lot of those programs won’t actively work with individuals if they’re not sober,” Snyder said. “Because it’s not productive for them to be on those treatment plans if they’re not sober.”

Following the violation, Brandon’s probation officer recommended that his probation be revoked due to “minimal progress made after a year on supervision, coupled with the continued issues with honesty.”

Judge Thomas Branford terminated Brandon’s probation on April 9 and chose not to make him eligible for alternative programs. He was sentenced to 36 months in the state Department of Corrections, followed by two years of post-prison supervision.

A federal lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland against the Jewell School District and others over the sex abuse case, The Oregonian reported.