FBI arrests fugitive of 10 years for molestation charges in RI
By Jennifer Petracca
The FBI arrested a man wanted by the authorities for over ten years for the alleged molestation of three young girls in Rhode Island.
James William Bell, 61, is accused of molesting girls, then aged 9 to 13 years old, in Middletown, Rhode Island, while he was working as a gymnastics coach as a local YMCA.
Bell was arrested on a federal arrest warrant issued in January of 2006 when he was charged in Rhode Island District Court with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution (UFAP). He was due for a pre-trial conference in July 2004 to face the numerous counts of child molestation in Superior Court in Newport.
Bell is listed as Rhode Island State Police’s top ten wanted fugitives. He was taken into custody without incident Wednesday in Spokane, Washington.
“Mr. Bell thought he could run away and hide from the law, but he underestimated the FBI’s resolve to track him down,” said Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “We’d like to thank everyone who had the courage to call us with their tips as well as our law enforcement partners for their outstanding cooperation.”
Bell will be held in Washington State, pending extradition to Rhode Island where he will be prosecuted on state charges.
© WLNE-TV 2015
