Christopher Haxel

Lansing State Journal

UPDATE: The lone charge of sexual assault against Matthew Torres was dropped by prosecutors in May 2017. CLICK HERE to read more.

EAST LANSING - A mixed martial arts instructor has been charged with sexually assaulting another man last week in downtown East Lansing.

The 18-year-old victim called police March 29 at 10:38 p.m. to 541 E. Grand River Ave., said East Lansing Police Department Spokesman Lt. Steve Gonzalez.

Within minutes, police arrested Matthew Richard Torres, 38, of Lansing, about a block away, Gonzalez said.

Torres is a mixed martial arts fighter and instructor who has worked at East Lansing Underground Martial Arts, which is located in the same building where the assault was reported.

Gonzalez would not say where specifically the incident took place. Torres and the victim are "acquaintances," he said, but declined to provide further information.

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The State Journal could not confirm that Torres is currently employed at the studio, but his face can be seen on an archived version of the studio's recently deleted Facebook Page. A message left with the business was not immediately returned.

Torres is also featured in many YouTube videos on an account that appears to belong to the studio.

Torres was charged Friday with one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

A third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge relates to alleged non-consensual sexual penetration with force or coercion, the victim being incapacitated or other factors.

In 2004, Torres was charged with first-degree sexual assault and other charges, court records show.

He eventually reached an agreement with prosecutors and pleaded to one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. The other charges were dropped.

Torres told a judge he a called a number in an adult entertainment ad and summoned a woman to his home for a "private fantasy dance," according to a transcript of his plea hearing.

He paid the woman $160 but took the money back and punched her in the nose after she spent too much time talking on the phone, he admitted.

Torres was sentenced to spend between 23 months and 10 years in prison, records show.

A Michigan Department of Corrections spokeswoman said Torres spent about 27 months in prison and completed parole in 2009.

Torres is free on $250,000 bond and has a hearing scheduled for April 14, according to court records. He has requested a court-appointed attorney.

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Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.