Brunswick man found guilty of statutory rape and aggravated child molestation
Stephan Bell, 24, Brunswick, was found guilty of statutory rape, aggravated child molestation and furnishing alcohol to a minor. The verdict was reached following a jury trial in Glynn County Superior Court, which concluded on Apr. 17.
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The charges stem from an incident that occurred in May of 2020, when the victim, a 15-year-old girl, ran away from home. Law enforcement officials from the Brunswick Police Department became involved, trying to locate the girl.
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Four days after she ran away, the girl was found in a deplorable, abandoned home with the defendant, Bell, who was 21 years of age at the time.
The young girl had met Bell a few weeks prior and had begun to hang out with him and mutual friends. When she ran away, the girl went to the abandoned house where Bell was living.
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During the four days that she was with Bell prior to being found, he provided the girl with alcohol and had sex with her on multiple occasions.
When interviewed by police, Bell admitted giving the girl alcohol and engaging in sex acts. However, during trial, Bell admitted to having sex with the minor but could not remember any other time.
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On Wednesday, Glynn County Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane Sr. sentenced Bell to a total of 45 years to serve followed by life on probation -- 20 years to serve on the statutory rape charge, 25 years without parole to serve followed by life on probation to run consecutive to the statutory rape charge for the aggravated child molestation and 12 months to serve on the furnishing alcohol to a minor to run concurrent to the statutory rape charge.
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