SPANISH FORK, Utah, Aug. 25, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A Spanish Fork man who previously worked in the Child Protection Division of the Utah Attorney General’s Office has been jailed on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Gary Lee Bell, 66, was charged Wednesday with six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
Bell’s probable cause statement confirmed that “Gary is a retired Assistant Attorney General from the Utah Attorney General’s Office where he worked in the Child Protection Division and prosecuted crimes against children.”
Investigation
Bell was investigated after the Utah County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The tip stated that someone with Bell’s email address had uploaded child sex abuse images on May 22 of this year. The images depict one or more prepubescent girls, ages 6 to 8, posed to display private parts.
A warrant was served on Bell’s Spanish Fork address on Wednesday. Post Miranda, Bell declined to answer questions.
The UCSO officer who filed Bell’s probable cause statement suggested the suspect be held without bail due to the seriousness of the charges and the fact that his wife babysits young children during the week.
The no-bail request was granted.
