ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — A 31-year-old man has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old victim.
Shaquan Bell, of Willow Grove, was taken into custody Wednesday at his residence by the Abington Township Police Department.
Detectives from the department’s Special Victims Unit initiated an investigation on Jan. 8 after receiving information that the victim had possibly been sexually assaulted in the township.
The investigation determined that Bell began communicating with the victim via Instagram in August.
After several months of communication, Bell met with the victim on Jan. 6 in Dauphin County, where the victim resides.
The two then traveled to Bell’s residence on Old Welsh Road, where the sexual assault is alleged to have occurred.
The victim returned home the following day and reported the incident to authorities.
An arrest warrant was issued for Bell on Tuesday following consultation with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
Bell was charged with multiple felony offenses including statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and unlawful contact with minors.
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Dara Nasatir, who set bail at $1 million.
As part of his bail conditions, Bell was ordered to have no contact with the victim, any minors or access to the internet.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation, or who believes they may have been a victim of Bell, is asked to contact Detective Alison Gontowski at 267-536-1100 or [email protected].
