Warning: This article contains graphic content relating to sexual assault. 

First-year Santa Barbara City College student Peyton McDonald was arrested for four felony charges of sexual assault on Sept. 9 and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 25. 

The arrest occurred at Santa Barbara City College, in connection with a sexual assault that occurred Aug. 27 on UC Santa Barbara property. 

McDonald was charged with four felony counts of sexual assault: rape by force, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and two counts of forcible oral copulation.

McDonald — represented by Catherine J. Swysen — filed his plea not guilty on all four charges on Sept. 13. 

He is set to appear in court on Oct. 8 for a preliminary hearing setting conference — where the judge may adjust the defendant’s preliminary hearing date, ahead of his hearing on Oct. 25.

The Nexus will continue reporting on this investigation as more information becomes available.

A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Sept. 30, 2021 print edition of the Daily Nexus. 

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Sindhu Ananthavel
Sindhu Ananthavel (she/they) is the Lead News Editor for the 2023-24 school year. Previously, Ananthavel was the Deputy News Editor for the 2022-23 school year, the Community Outreach News Editor for the 2021-22 school year and an assistant news editor for the 2021-22 school year. She can be reached at news@dailynexus.com.