California man charged with four counts of second-degree rape

Already was charged with making threat at Great Mills High

A California man who was charged in February with two misdemeanors related to making a threat at Great Mills High School has been indicted with four counts of second-degree rape, all felonies.

And arrest warrant was issued March 8 and Jacy Brice Torres-Ponce, 21, was arrested March 17 at a traffic stop in Mechanicsville, according to a court document.

Torres-Ponce is being held without bond in the St. Mary’s County jail, although his attorney, Shane Mattingly, requested a bail review hearing on March 24. Mattingly said Torres-Ponce has a verified address at his parents’ residence, works at his father’s construction business and has no prior convictions.

The March 7 indictment was originally sealed, although a judge unsealed it and shielded the alleged victim’s name on March 18, according to a court document.

The alleged rape counts all occurred on Dec. 29, 2021, according to the indictment, and were by force or threat of force. One allegedly included a sex toy.

A status hearing is scheduled for May 27 and a two-day trial for July 26 and 27.

In the February incident, Torres-Ponce allegedly posted a photo of his girlfriend holding Torres-Ponce’s rifle to his Snapchat account. The teen, a senior at Great Mills High School, allegedly said she posed for the photo but didn’t know that Torres-Ponce would post it on Snapchat.

Along with the photo, the post said, “Bae said don’t pu [pull up] to school tmr” with “@Great

Mills” at the bottom.

The post caused a “massive disruption at the school resulting in some students staying home,” sheriff’s Cpl. Gerard Muschette wrote.

Torres-Ponce said the post was a joke, according to the charging document.

Torres-Ponce was issued a summons on Feb. 21 for disturbing operations at a school and disorderly conduct.