Two Marines accused of raping a woman in Surf City, North Carolina, are no longer in jail after spending more than a year in custody, according to court records, and are now awaiting trial as the case continues to face repeated delays in Pender County Superior Court.
Rylie Tate Petrosky and Ted Arthur Davis, both assigned to Camp Geiger, were arrested in September 2024 following an investigation by the Surf City Police Department into an alleged sexual assault near the town’s public beach and pier.
Prosecutors allege the assault occurred on Sept. 14, 2024, near Roland Avenue in Surf City, an area frequented by beachgoers. Police have said the men knew the victim. Both Marines are charged with first-degree forcible rape and felony conspiracy, while Davis also faces a misdemeanor charge for providing alcohol to a person under the age of 21.
At the time of the arrests, Surf City Police Chief Phil Voorheess said the department acted swiftly and worked alongside multiple agencies, including NCIS, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the Camp Lejeune Provost Marshal’s Office, and the Wilmington Police Department.
Both men were booked into the Pender County Jail, where judges set $300,000 secured bonds—an amount that effectively kept them incarcerated as the case moved slowly through the courts.
Court records show the men remained in custody for months as the charges were transferred from district court to superior court by indictment. Defense attorneys later sought to reduce the bond amounts, arguing the men were on active duty and not flight risks. Judges denied those requests.
Despite the denials, both defendants were ultimately released in October 2025 after their bonds were posted in full.
While the bonds were set at $300,000 each, court documents indicate neither Marine paid that amount directly. Instead, both used a professional bail bond company, which typically requires a non-refundable premium to secure release. In this case, records show each defendant paid approximately $15,000 to a bail bonds agent, with the remaining balance guaranteed by the bonding company. The bonds were underwritten by Palmetto Surety Corporation.
As part of their release, both men were ordered to comply with court-imposed conditions, including no direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim and mandatory court appearances.
The addresses listed in court records provide additional context for readers familiar with Marine training pipelines. Davis’ address is listed as Building G-702 at Camp Geiger, which serves as the main check-in point for new Marines reporting to School of Infantry (SOI) East, where they begin Infantry Training Battalion (ITB) or Marine Combat Training (MCT) after boot camp. It marks the starting point of a critical phase in a Marine’s training at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Petrosky’s address is listed as A Company, School of Infantry, Camp Geiger, also placing him within the SOI training environment at the time the case entered the court system.
Phone numbers listed in court filings suggest both men are from Maryland, with Davis’ number carrying a 410 area code, commonly associated with the Baltimore region, and Petrosky’s using a 240 area code, typically tied to western Maryland. The Marine Corps has not publicly commented on their current duty status.
While the rape case remains unresolved, Petrosky was separately convicted in Pender County District Court in 2025 for simple assault in an unrelated incident. Court records show the charge stemmed from an altercation in which Petrosky restrained another individual while a second person struck the victim, resulting in visible injuries. He was sentenced to 30 days of confinement, with credit for time already served.
The superior court cases against both Marines remain pending, with proceedings continued multiple times. Court calendars now show the matter pushed into 2026, more than 18 months after the alleged assault.
As with all criminal cases, the charges against Davis and Petrosky are allegations. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The Salty Soldier will continue to follow the case as it moves closer to trial.
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