Former FBI "Most Wanted" Child Molester is Sentenced

MIDDLETOWN, RI—A man who was once on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list after fleeing Rhode Island following his 2003 arrest for molesting young girls at a local YMCA will spend the next eight years in prison.

James Bell, 61, formerly of Middletown, pleaded no contest today to seven counts of second-degree child molestation before Superior Court Justice Stephen P. Nugent and was sentenced to 20 years with eight to serve.

Bell, who worked as a gymnastics coach, instructor, computer repair technician and volunteer fireman, was on the lam for 10 years before Middletown police finally tracked him down to Spokane, WA, thanks to a tip the FBI received earlier this year.

According to court records, Bell was accused of molesting three girls between the ages of 9 and 13 between 2001 and 2003 as he worked as a coach at the Newport County YMCA.

Middletown police investigated the alleged crimes and arrested him in August of 2003. Bell was arraigned in Newport County Superior Court on Sept. 25 of that year and was released on $25,000 surety bail.

That was the last police saw of him. He failed to appear for a pretrial conference on July 15 of 2004 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Finally, on April 29 of this year, the FBI located and took Bell into custody and he was returned to Rhode Island and held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston ever since.

“Today’s plea and sentence will hopefully bring a sense of relief to James Bell’s victims, knowing he has finally been brought to justice,” said Attorney General Kilmartin. “This would not be possible without the commitment and vigilance of law enforcement to track down the defendant and bring him back to Rhode Island to answer for his crimes.”

Middletown Police Detectives William Swierk and John Gatta, both now retired, led the initial investigation. Special Assistant Attorney General Roger Demers prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.