Teen Charged with Sexual Assault, Cocaine, LSD, and Underage Drinking

Brayden Miles Petersen, a 19-year-old man, was arrested early on November 7, 2024, at the Copper Sky Multigenerational Center in Maricopa. He faces multiple serious charges, including sexual assault, possession of dangerous drugs, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to a police report, officers discovered Petersen in his Toyota Scion, which was running and parked in the complex’s lot around 3:30 a.m. Despite signage indicating the facility closed at 11 p.m., the vehicle had been present for over an hour before police intervened.

Authorities initiated a traffic stop when the Scion attempted to leave. Upon making contact with Petersen, officers noticed a shotgun in the vehicle’s front passenger area. They subsequently requested Petersen to exit the vehicle, leading to the revelation of a female minor in the back seat.

The minor informed the officers that she had engaged in sexual activity with Petersen while inside the vehicle. Initially claiming the encounter was consensual, she later retracted that statement, stating she felt coerced. According to her account, Petersen threatened to leave her behind if she did not comply with his demands.

During the vehicle search, police uncovered a variety of items, including a Mossberg shotgun, a BB rifle, open containers of Jack Daniels, and illegal drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and cannabis products.

Petersen claimed to have consumed alcohol and THC before his arrest but denied any inappropriate physical contact with the minor. He was subsequently taken into custody and transported to Pinal County Jail.

This case continues to unfold as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.