A Chester County battalion chief and firefighter has been accused of sexually assaulting three teenagers.
27-year-old Carlton Raye Bell was arrested Friday and charged with multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and other related offenses, according to nbcphiladelphia.com.
Bell met a 14-year-old boy through the dating app Grindr and then began communicating with him through Snapchat in September of last year. Snapchat allows users to send photos that disappear quickly, and Bell used it with the boy to exchange nude photos.
Philadelphia.cbslocal.com reported that according to prosecutors, Bell picked up the teen at his home in Caln Township on September 15th and took him to his home in East Coventry Township, where he engaged in sexual acts with the teen.
On September 19, Bell then created a group chat with the boy and two other minors, believed to be ages 16 and 17, before taking all three back to his house. Bell allegedly then engaged in sexual acts with all three minors. It was also reported that Bell allegedly told the 14-year-old victim “he was nervous because he knew he could go to jail for what they were about to do,” according to prosecutors.
Bell was remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post $150,000 cash bail.
Bell was suspended from all of the fire companies he served including North Coventry Fire Company and his volunteer work in Limerick, Ridge and Goodwill in Pottstown. According to nbcphiladelphia.com Bell was also ordered to have no contact with any minors or any fire company and is prohibited from using the internet or social media or visiting any place where minors may be.
