Bay Area Man Accused Of Molestation Taught In 30 Cities: PD

SAN RAMON, CA — A guitar teacher, who is also a registered sex offender, was arrested Thursday on allegations that he committed lewd acts against a child during a lesson in San Ramon. The Vallejo man offers lessons in 30 Bay Area cities and is suspected to have harmed more victims, authorities said.

Rex Lee Bell, 69, was arrested on suspicion of nine counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, according to the San Ramon Police Department. Police arrested him on an additional nine counts as an enhancement for prior sex convictions and two more counts for sexual offender violation.

The Contra Costa County District confirmed with Patch on Friday that it did not have a court date for Bell yet.

After Bell's arrest, authorities obtained a search warrant and found additional evidence related to the case in his home in Vallejo, police said.

Bell advertises online as the owner and lead instructor of www.guitarconfidence.com, where he says he offers private lessons to over 30 cities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

"We are concerned there may be additional victims based on Bell's business practices and his activity with children," police wrote in the report.

Police requested a bail of $9.95 million for Bell, but jail records indicated Friday he was being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on $2,225,000.

Anyone with information about this case can call the station's communication center at 925-973-2779, Detective McKinney at bmckinney@sanramon.ca.gov, or Lieutenant Williams at twilliams@sanramon.ca.gov.

On Bell's website, he says he has 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist.

"He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others," the website says.

The California Megan's Law website indicates that Bell was previously convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.