JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A man who pleaded guilty to exposing himself to women over several months in Jefferson County Open Space parks last year was sentenced to prison on Thursday.
Glenn Braden, 21, will serve between eight years and life in prison with an indeterminate parole term. The sentence comes after he pleaded guilty in August to felony unlawful sexual contact. He faced a minimum sentence of four to 12 years.
Braden was also sentenced to a concurrent sentence of three years for felony attempted sexual assault and 365 days for misdemeanor indecent exposure. He also received credit for 436 days served.
Fourteen other counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement, according to court records.
Between April and August 2023, 11 women who were hiking along trails in Flying J Ranch Park, Alderfer/Three Sisters Park and Genesee Mountain Park were confronted by Braden.
After his arrest, Braden told investigators that he hiked in the parks and would purposefully expose himself to women, according to the arrest affidavit. He admitted the women reacted with "disgust" but said he felt "compelled" to commit "these sexual acts" and could "not help his compulsion," the affidavit says.
The 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office said there were two previous incidents involving similar behavior in South Carolina in 2019 and 2020, which Deputy District Attorney Allie Galvan argued showed a pattern of escalation over a period of years, not months.
“He grew more brazen with each contact, and attempted to rip the clothing off one of his final victims,” Galvan said, according to a news release.
Pre-trial evaluations showed Braden was found to have a high risk of reoffending sexually, which Galvan argued made him an extreme public safety risk.
“This is someone who has been given a chance at diversion and treatment for similar behavior, and who has admitted he has a compulsion he cannot control," Galvin said.
Braden addressed the court and victims during his sentencing. He apologized to the victims and expressed an eagerness to start treatment, according the district attorney's office.
“I take complete responsibility for every single action that occurred during this time," Braden said, according to the release.