Virginia man charged in two Maryland sexual assaults, police believe there may be more victims

CULPEPER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Virginia man was charged in connection to two sexual assaults that happened in a county in Maryland in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is believed to have more victims, according to police.

According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, an arrest warrant was issued on Dec. 9, 2025, for Carl Rice Jr., of Culpeper County's Mitchells area. He was charged with two counts of first-degree rape and kidnapping, two counts of first-degree sex offense, three counts of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault.

The charges reportedly stem from two separate incidents -- one in the late 1980s and another in the 1990s.

On June 24, 1988, a female victim was leaving the Friendship Heights Metro station when she was approached by an unknown Black male, who was described at the time as about 18 to 19 years old, standing at about 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a chubby face and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds.

Police said the suspect forcibly pulled the victim across the street, and she was sexually assaulted.

Two years later, on Sept. 19, 1990, a female victim met a man who identified himself as Kevin and offered her a ride home, according to police. When the victim tried to get out of the car, the suspect "physically restrained her" and did not let her go.

Police said he drove to Bethesda, where he sexually assaulted that victim.

Detectives received a CODIS DNA match connected to evidence recovered from the 1988 assault decades later in February 2025. The match led detectives to identify Rice as the suspect.

Police said that, since both crimes happened near the District of Columbia border, detectives worked in partnership with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department Cold Case Sex Assault Unit during the investigation.

According to police, Rice is serving a prison sentence in Virginia after being previously arrested in separate jurisdictions on charges related to rape and sexual assault.

Based on information gathered and the circumstances of these cases, detectives believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward.

Investigators have reason to believe that Rice may have additional victims, per officials.

Anyone with information or who believes they may have been victimized is urged to contact the Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477).