George Bell

Overview

George Bell, 72, founding pastor of Anchor Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty to two counts of raping a child under the age of 10 and was sentenced to 15–20 years in prison. The abuse occurred between 2021 and 2024 while he served as pastor.

Description

Bell founded Anchor Baptist Church in July 1989 and served as pastor for 35 years. He was arraigned in Franklin County Common Pleas Court on four counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition of a minor under age 10 — all of which allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2024. He resigned from the pulpit on June 27, 2024, before the church was notified of the allegations. Bell pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in November 2025; the remaining charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to 15–20 years in state prison and will be 88 years old at first parole eligibility, at which point he will be required to register as a Tier III sex offender.