A Columbus pastor has pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court and has been sentenced to 15–20 years in prison.
George Bell, 73, was the pastor of Anchor Baptist Church, an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB), King James Version Only church that he founded in 1989. He was arrested in late 2024 and charged with a series of sexual assaults that took place between 2021 and 2024 involving a child under the age of 10.
Bell accepted a plea deal in order to have two counts of gross sexual imposition and two additional rape charges dropped. As a result, the earliest he can be released is when he is 88 years old, and the latest when he is 93. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender and check in every three months.
Prior to his sentencing, Bell expressed remorse for his actions, stating, “It breaks my heart to know I failed those who loved and trusted me.”
