An Evergreen man was sentenced to at least eight years’ imprisonment Thursday for a pattern of terrorizing women on Jefferson County trails, according to court records and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
Glenn Thompson Braden IV, 21, was captured by Jefferson County deputies after a string of unwanted sexual encounters on county trails reported by female hikers, who said a man had exposed himself, masturbated in front of them and groped or tried to grope them.
In August 2023, when hikers reported another such incident at Genesee Park near Golden, deputies fanned out through the park and arrested Braden after a foot chase.
In a news release, the DA’s office described how Braden was involved in similar incidents in South Carolina between 2019 and 2020, which deputy district attorney Allie Galvan argued was proof of a yearslong trend of escalating, aggressive behavior.
“He grew more brazen with each contact and attempted to rip the clothing off one of his final victims,” she said in the release. “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.”
Investigators said Braden told them he did not remember much of what happened because he was high on marijuana at the time but said he felt “compelled” to commit the sex crimes, which took place during about a dozen separate incidents between April and August 2023.
Braden was charged with four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of attempting to commit sexual assault, all felonies, as well as nine counts of indecent exposure, a misdemeanor, and criminal mischief, a petty offense.
In August, to one count each of attempting to commit sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and indecent exposure.
He was sentenced Thursday to eight years to life in Colorado’s Department of Corrections, plus an indeterminate period of parole, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Brionna Boatright wrote in an email.
According to the office’s news release, Braden said during his sentencing that he took “complete responsibility for every single action that occurred during this time” and said he would “commit to the time it takes to change my thoughts, behaviors and actions.”
Braden must also remain registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life, Boatright said.
