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A former Newton County detention officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting an inmate and was sentenced to serve the first 25 years of a life sentence in prison.
David Rex Bell was convicted of one count of aggravated sodomy, one count of aggravated sexual battery, four counts of sexual assault against a person in custody and two counts of violation of oath by public officer.
Bell was arrested and charged in May 2013 after a female inmate at the Newton County Detention Center reported that Bell sexually assaulted her while she was in the medical unit at the jail.
Another female inmate witnessed the incident, and the victim reported it within 24 hours of the assault.
Criminal and internal investigations were launched and Bell was booked in another facility and fired from the Sheriff’s Office.
Two of the counts of which Bell was convicted involved a second victim, who also came forward in May 2013.
Judge Samuel Ozburn sentenced Bell to life on probation, with the first 25 years to be served in confinement. Special conditions of Bell’s probation are that he is to register as a sex offender, have no contact with the victims and pay $2,000 in fines, plus surcharges.
WSBTV
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