(COVINGTON)---Four men and a female juvenile, all from the Covington area, have been arrested and charged in connection with the attempted rape of a 15-year-old Covington girl, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

St. Tammany Sheriff's Capt. George Bonnett reports that 24-year-old Brett Ward, 21-year-old Michael Ayo, 19-year-old Derrick Maise, 18-year-old Clayton King, and the 16-year-old female juvenile have been charged with attempted aggravated rape, second degree battery, and sexual battery. He adds that Ayo has also been charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile in connection with another apparent incident involving the 16-year-old female.

The incident occurred in the evening hours of Friday, June 20, in the 400 block of Pencarrow Circle near Covington. Capt. Bonnett says that the victim maintains that she met King, Maise, and the 16-year-old female at a local restaurant, leaving thereafter to meet Ayo and Ward at his residence, with his parents apparently being out of town at the time.

Capt. Bonnett says that detectives developed information that Ward, Ayo, Maise, King, and the 16-year-old female attacked the 15-year-old female in an attempt to rape her. Capt. Bonnett adds that this apparently happened in the same room where there was another incident involving Ayo and the 16-year-old female.

Capt. Bonnett adds that the victim's mother reported the incident to the sheriff's office on Wednesday, June 25, and the investigation began. According to Capt. Bonnett, Ward and the 16-year-old female were arrested on Tuesday, July 1; Ayo was arrested on Monday, July 7, at the St. Tammany Courthouse, where he was being tried on an unrelated domestic violence charge; and King and Maise were arrested on Thursday, July 10, in Tangipahoa Parish for allegedly breaking and entering into a residence there.

---