An arrest warrant was released to the public Monday concerning Thomas Lee Ponce, 27, who was accused of aggravated sexual assault. The warrant revealed details on how a woman was able to escape from Ponce after she had been held at knifepoint, bound, blindfolded and raped.
The warrant said on the night of June 13, the victim was headed back to her apartment after working out in the onsite gym. A man walked toward her, said “hello” and then hit her in the face. The police report said he got behind her with a knife.
The arrest warrant said she was forced to let the man into her apartment where he then held her for more than twelve hours and sexually assaulted her. At first, she was bound with a power cord. Later, she was tied up with tape.
“[The victim] was able to gain the male’s trust by making repeated trips to the kitchen where she would pick up different items,” the warrant said.
It also said, “The last time [the victim] was able to start cooking while the male slept in the bed.”
The warrant also said:
“[The victim] was able to unlock the door and run out of the apartment to an exterior door. The male heard the door open and he ran after [her]. [She] was able to get to the exterior door then around to the office where she asked an employee to call the police. The male stopped at the exterior door and turned around.”
The warrant said police found items in the apartment to match the victim’s story. Among those items were two cell phones that did not belong to the victim. Those phones contained pictures of Ponce, according to the warrant.
Officials said Ponce attacked two women – one inside Lubbock and the other in Lubbock County. Officially, Ponce was arrested for the attack inside city limits.
Ponce was found Friday after police got a tip from the public. Officers arrested him in the 2500 block of 1st Place.
Ponce was still held Monday in the Lubbock County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond.
Related Story: Victim Blindfolded, Bound and Gagged — Lubbock Rape Suspect Still on the Run
