Suspect accused of trying to entice minors on Court Hill Trail enters not guilty plea

Lang
11/25/23

The suspect accused of trying to entice minors on Court Hill Trail has entered a not guilty plea.

According to Iowa City Police, the incident occurred at about 8:30 am on September 13th while two junior high students were walking the trail through Court Hill Park. 30-year-old Brayton Reynolds of Amber Lane reportedly followed them to Memory Gardens Cemetery, where he then approached them and made sexually explicit comments. According to the arrest report, Reynolds offered to perform a sex act on the two males.

One of the victims told police that they had encountered Reynolds along the trail the morning of September 8th, with him making the same proposition.

Police say they located Reynolds walking on Court Hill Trail on September 18th. He was allegedly wearing the same outfit from the previous incident.  While police were with him, the two victims happened to walk by on their way to school. Both victims identified Reynolds as the man who propositioned them in both incidents.

Reynolds is charged with three counts each of Enticing a Minor Under the Age of 16 for Sexual Purposes and 1st Degree Harassment, as well as one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance. If convicted on all charges, Reynolds could be sentenced to up to 22 years in prison.

The Iowa Sex Offender Registry indicates Reynolds was convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in 2017. Police say his Dropbox was found to contain three videos of males under the age of 14 engaged in sex acts.

Reynolds entered the not guilty plea on Monday. His next court date has not yet been scheduled.