Ridgeview HS teachers’ aide, coach jailed on rape charge

(Update: Adding DA John Hummel’s comments)

A Ridgeview High School instructional assistant and baseball coach has been arrested on rape and sex abuse charges that officials say don’t involve minors or the school.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies booked Jake Wyatt Branham, 25, into the county jail in Bend late Tuesday night on first-degree rape and sexual abuse charges. He remained held Thursday on $150,000 bail.

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel told NewsChannel 21 late Thursday the victim is a 23-year-old woman who was an acquaintance of Branham.

Hummel added that the allegations came to light this week, though the incident happened nearly a year ago, and that authorities acted because they deemed the claims to be credible.

Branham made his first court appearance on the initial charges Wednesday, court records showed, and a judge scheduled arraignment on an expected grand jury indictment for next Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. The district attorney’s charging document indicated the crimes occurred last March 15.

Redmond School District spokesman Rainier Butler said Branham was arrested at his home on the allegations and is on administrative leave.

“These charges are very concerning and we will fully cooperate with law enforcement,” Butler said, adding: “The alleged victim was not a minor, not a student at Ridgeview High and the alleged incident didn’t happen on school property.”

Branham was hired last August as an instructional assistant in Ridgeview’s Independent Living Skills program and was hired just last month as head baseball coach, Butler said, noting that he had not yet coached a game for the school.