Ex-Counselor Pleads Guilty in Sex Attack

A former Foothill Rehabilitation Center counselor pleaded guilty Tuesday in San Fernando Municipal Court to sodomizing a psychiatric patient in his care.

Under a plea bargain with prosecutors, Roger Branson, 43, of Valencia will be sentenced to no more than one year in County Jail, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Kenneth L. Barshop.

Branson was originally charged with one count of sodomizing a mentally disabled person and one count of forcible oral copulation. If he had been convicted of both charges he could have received a maximum sentence of 16 years in state prison, Barshop said.

However, there were “problems with proof,” Barshop said.

Deputy Sheriff Pam Schrick, who investigated the case, said the victim was committed to the psychiatric hospital involuntarily and prosecutors feared he would have trouble testifying at a trial. Barshop said Branson had no prior criminal record.

The incident occurred on Aug. 26, 1988, Schrick said. Branson took the victim out of the hospital, saying he wanted to treat him to a birthday dinner. Instead, Branson took the patient to his home, where he sexually assaulted him, Schrick said.

The victim reported the incident after Branson returned him to the hospital. Branson was fired shortly after and was arrested Sept. 19.

At the time of his arrest, he was teaching at Saugus High School as a permanent substitute, Schrick said.