| For Immediate Release Case # TBA October 18, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
LAW ENFORCEMENT SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL VICTIMS OF DANCE INSTRUCTOR CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office and Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims of a dance instructor charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female student. Brandon Christopher Marriott, 21, Westminster, is charged with two felony counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16, one felony count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, and one felony count of contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison. The People will be requesting Marriott be held on $100,000 bail at his arraignment today, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
At the time of the crimes, Marriott was a tap dance instructor at Focus Dance Center in Irvine. He is accused of meeting Jane Doe while she was a student at the dance center. Marriott is accused of gaining the trust of the victim’s parents and grooming her by frequently complimenting her and telling her that she was beautiful.
Between July and August 2011, Marriott is accused of sexually assaulting Jane Doe on two occasions when she was 15 years old. On one occasion, he is accused of taking her to a movie and then digitally penetrating her while parked in his car in a Costa Mesa parking lot. On a second occasion, he is accused of digitally penetrating and orally copulating the victim while parked in his car.
Marriott is accused of sending Jane Doe sexually explicit text messages in which he told Jane Doe that he wanted to orally copulate and have sex with her. The victim’s parents discovered the text messages and reported the unlawful sexual conduct to CMPD, who investigated this case.
Marriott was arrested Oct. 14, 2011, by CMPD.
Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794, Costa Mesa Police Detective Mike Manson at (714) 754-5360, or Costa Mesa Police Sergeant Ed Everett at (714) 754-5395.