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Former Billings Skyview football player admits guilt in serial rape case

Brayden James Pond withdrew a former not-guilty plea Thursday
Posted at 11:42 AM, Dec 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-23 12:58:27-05

A former Billings Skyview football player has pleaded guilty to two felony charges in a sweeping serial rape case involving five teenage girl victims.

According to court documents, Brayden James Pond withdrew a former not guilty plea Thursday and agreed to a plea deal where he admitted to guilt in two of the initial five felony rape charges against him.

In 2018, prosecutors filed the charges against Pond for one incident in 2016 and four more spanning from February 2017 to May 2017.

Pond was 17 years old at the time but he was charged as an adult.

In early December, Yellowstone County prosecutors amended the rape charges against the Billings teen.

One girl claimed Pond raped her on two different occasions.

The allegations were reported in January 2018 when the Skyview High School Resource Officer contacted a Billings police sergeant and the Billings West High School Resource Officer about the sexual assault complaints against Pond.

Pond was a student at Skyview High School and played running back for the school's football team. He recently transferred to Billings Senior High School in May.

Each charge is a felony and carries four to 100 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of $50,000.

His sentencing is set for April 20, according to prosecutors. He remains free pending the conclusion of the case.