Braden Peters, 20, the “looksmaxxing” influencer known online as “Clavicular,” arrived at a Massachusetts courthouse Thursday accompanied by a barking dog before his arraignment.
Peters appeared in Orleans District Court and pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged rape. A court clerk confirmed to News Media that he posted $10,000 bail in connection with the case.
The allegations involve a 17-year-old victim and an incident that prosecutors say occurred in 2025 at Peters’ family home on Cape Cod.
Braden Peters, known as “Clavicular,” walks a dog before heading to court. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
Ted Williams, a former criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor, said Peters’ decision to arrive with a dog was not necessarily unusual.
“I don’t think it’s really out of the ordinary for a defendant to show up at court and the dog is left outside on a leash at a specific location or left with a person,” Williams told News Media.
Williams suggested the dog may have provided Peters with emotional support before the hearing.
“There are people who are more attached to their dog than they are attached to a human being, believe it or not, and that may be just his support mechanism — the dog,” Williams said.
The unusual scenario, Williams said, would be for the dog to enter the courthouse. Under normal circumstances, he said, courts do not allow dogs or other animals inside.
Braden Peters, known as “Clavicular,” appears before a judge in a Massachusetts courtroom Thursday, formally entering a plea of not guilty. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
Peters has more than 1 million Instagram followers. He is known for rating people’s appearances during livestreams and offering “advice” involving procedures such as surgery and personal training.
News Media previously reported that the teenage victim told investigators she contacted Peters online hoping to connect and create content. Peters allegedly arranged for an Uber to pick her up and take her to his home.
Braden Peters, known as “Clavicular,” makes a highly anticipated court appearance in Massachusetts Thursday to formally fight the allegations. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
According to police, Peters allegedly gave her alcohol, leaving her intoxicated to the point that she was unable to consent to sex.
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Peters’ attorneys filed a memorandum Wednesday asking the court to release him on cash bail. They argued that he was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community, while offering to surrender his passport and avoid contact with the alleged victim.
Peters was not held in jail before Thursday’s arraignment. He appeared in response to a summons and then posted bail.
READ IT: Braden Peters’ defense memorandum for his release.
Flanked by legal counsel, Braden Peters, known as “Clavicular,” leaves court in Massachusetts after entering a not guilty plea. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
In a statement sent to News Media, Peters’ attorney, David Meier, said in part:
“Braden Peters categorically denies these allegations.”
“Looksmaxxing” influencer Braden Peters, known online as “Clavicular,” poses shirtless in a photo shared on his Instagram account. (Clavicular Instagram)
He went on to say, “The fact that these allegations first arose in June 2026 when the complainant and her Florida attorney appeared together at the Chatham Police Department just days before filing an amended civil lawsuit seeking thousands of dollars from Mr. Peters speaks for itself.”
Following a not guilty plea in a Massachusetts courtroom, “Clavicular” and his defense team prepare for the legal battle ahead. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
This is not Peters’ first run-in with the law. He was previously arrested in Florida on battery charges in Kissimmee after a reported fight between two women at an Airbnb property.
“Clavicular” leaves court after he enters a not guilty plea during Thursday’s arraignment in a Massachusetts courtroom. (Getty Images: CJ Gunther)
The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts did not provide a comment to News Media on Thursday’s court proceeding, citing the pending case.
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