SALT LAKE CITY — A teenage boy accused of sexually assaulting a woman near a Sandy jogging trail has pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault.
Rainier Craig Peterson, 16, was arrested in March and booked into the Salt Lake Valley Detention Center on felony charges of aggravated kidnapping. aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, forcible sodomy and obstruction of justice.
“I hit her and dragged her into a ditch and forced sex on her," Peterson told a judge Tuesday morning.
According to a declaration of probable cause, the victim told police Peterson dragged her into ravine, strangled her until she lost consciousness, raped her, broke a bottle over her head and kicked her.
After pleading guilty to the aggravated kidnapping charge Tuesday morning, Peterson was then transported one floor up into an adult courtroom, where he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault.
After serving the remainder of his time in juvenile detention, likely until he’s 21, he will then begin serving a term of at least 10 years, and possibly 15 years to life, in the adult prison system.
Peterson's next court appearance is scheduled for September 11.
