Orange County Register
December 14, 1990
Martial-arts teacher given 1 year in jail
Byline: The Orange County Register
A Tustin martial-arts instructor was sentenced to one year in jail plus four years' probation Thursday after he pleaded guilty to four charges of molesting a male student at his kung fu center.
John Duff Bracy, 35, originally faced 16 counts and up to 31 years in prison. But he agreed to plead guilty after the District Attorney's Office dropped most of the charges, said defense lawyer Donald Rubright.
Before he was charged, Bracy, who lives in Orange, owned and operated the Hsing Chen martial-arts school in Tustin. He since has divested himself of ownership of the school, although he continues to teach adults there, Rubright said.
December 14, 1990
Martial-arts teacher given 1 year in jail
Byline: The Orange County Register
A Tustin martial-arts instructor was sentenced to one year in jail plus four years' probation Thursday after he pleaded guilty to four charges of molesting a male student at his kung fu center.
John Duff Bracy, 35, originally faced 16 counts and up to 31 years in prison. But he agreed to plead guilty after the District Attorney's Office dropped most of the charges, said defense lawyer Donald Rubright.
Before he was charged, Bracy, who lives in Orange, owned and operated the Hsing Chen martial-arts school in Tustin. He since has divested himself of ownership of the school, although he continues to teach adults there, Rubright said.
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-07/local/me-334_1_karate-instructor
Karate Instructor Faces Sex Charges
February 07, 1990
The Orange County district attorney's office filed two charges of child molestation Tuesday against a Tustin karate-studio owner on suspicion of molesting several of his students, Tustin police said.
John Duff Bracy, 34, who is also an instructor at his Hsing Chen Martial Arts Studio in the 400 block of El Camino Real, has been charged with the molestation of two youths, ages 15 and 17, a police spokesman said.
"The investigation is continuing, as it has been determined that there have been multiple victims (at the martial arts studio) over an extended period of time," the spokesman said.
Bracy is being held in County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Karate Instructor Faces Sex Charges
February 07, 1990
The Orange County district attorney's office filed two charges of child molestation Tuesday against a Tustin karate-studio owner on suspicion of molesting several of his students, Tustin police said.
John Duff Bracy, 34, who is also an instructor at his Hsing Chen Martial Arts Studio in the 400 block of El Camino Real, has been charged with the molestation of two youths, ages 15 and 17, a police spokesman said.
"The investigation is continuing, as it has been determined that there have been multiple victims (at the martial arts studio) over an extended period of time," the spokesman said.
Bracy is being held in County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Orange County Register
April 14, 1990
Martial-arts teacher faces molestation trial
Byline: Jeff Collins
The Register
After two teen-age boys testified Friday that they were fondled repeatedly during kung fu acupressure sessions, an Orange County municipal court judge ordered a Tustin martial-arts instructor to stand trial on felony child molestation.
Central Municipal Court Judge Karl Frank said "the evidence is pretty clear there was more than enough material" to substantiate the 16 counts of molestation that allegedly occurred from September 1987 through June 1989 at the Hsing Chen martial-arts school in Tustin.
John Duff Bracy, 34, who asked his martial-arts students to call him "Sifu," or master teacher, has been charged with nine felonies and seven misdemeanors in connection with the alleged molestations. If convicted, he could face up to 31 years in prison.
During Friday's preliminary hearing, a 15-year-old Irvine boy and a 17-year-old boy from Tustin said Bracy began fondling them during regular massage sessions held in his private office on the second floor of his studio.
The boys also testified that he sometimes would take their hands and place them on his own genitals, telling them "not to feel uncomfortable when working down there."
The 15-year-old testified that at one point, Bracy said he knew the boy was masturbating, causing him to lose energy. Bracy allegedly told the boy the energy could be recovered by touching Bracy's body.
"He told me that by touching his body, I'd gain his manly energy," the boy said.
Eventually, the 15-year-old testified, the molestation became almost a daily occurrence. He said he was too frightened and confused to tell his parents.
"(Bracy) told me not to tell," the boy said, "that my parents wouldn't understand, society wouldn't understand and he would be put away forever."
Bracy's lawyer, Donald Rubright, denied that the instructor had molested the boys, saying the touching occurred during the course of normal acupressure sessions. In response to his questions, the two students conceded that they were never subjected to oral or anal sex.
April 14, 1990
Martial-arts teacher faces molestation trial
Byline: Jeff Collins
The Register
After two teen-age boys testified Friday that they were fondled repeatedly during kung fu acupressure sessions, an Orange County municipal court judge ordered a Tustin martial-arts instructor to stand trial on felony child molestation.
Central Municipal Court Judge Karl Frank said "the evidence is pretty clear there was more than enough material" to substantiate the 16 counts of molestation that allegedly occurred from September 1987 through June 1989 at the Hsing Chen martial-arts school in Tustin.
John Duff Bracy, 34, who asked his martial-arts students to call him "Sifu," or master teacher, has been charged with nine felonies and seven misdemeanors in connection with the alleged molestations. If convicted, he could face up to 31 years in prison.
During Friday's preliminary hearing, a 15-year-old Irvine boy and a 17-year-old boy from Tustin said Bracy began fondling them during regular massage sessions held in his private office on the second floor of his studio.
The boys also testified that he sometimes would take their hands and place them on his own genitals, telling them "not to feel uncomfortable when working down there."
The 15-year-old testified that at one point, Bracy said he knew the boy was masturbating, causing him to lose energy. Bracy allegedly told the boy the energy could be recovered by touching Bracy's body.
"He told me that by touching his body, I'd gain his manly energy," the boy said.
Eventually, the 15-year-old testified, the molestation became almost a daily occurrence. He said he was too frightened and confused to tell his parents.
"(Bracy) told me not to tell," the boy said, "that my parents wouldn't understand, society wouldn't understand and he would be put away forever."
Bracy's lawyer, Donald Rubright, denied that the instructor had molested the boys, saying the touching occurred during the course of normal acupressure sessions. In response to his questions, the two students conceded that they were never subjected to oral or anal sex.