Bay Area guitar teacher arrested on suspicion of lewd acts with child student

SAN RAMON – A Vallejo-based guitar teacher — and registered sex offender — has been arrested on suspicion of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child during a lesson, according to police.

The alleged crimes occurred at the victim’s home in San Ramon, the San Ramon Police Department said in a statement.

Following an investigation Thursday, detectives arrested 69-year-old Rex Lee Bell on suspicion of nine counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, as well as enhancements for prior sex convictions and sexual offender violations, according to police.

Bell was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and remained in custody Friday on $9.95 million bail.

Additional evidence was gathered during a search of Bell’s residence, according to police.

Police said they are concerned there may be other victims. Bell advertises online as the owner and lead instructor of www.guitarconfidence.com, offering lessons in more than 30 Bay Area cities.

“As an agency focused on community safety,” police said, “we are concerned there may be additional victims based on Bell’s business practices and his activity with children.”

Bell was previously convicted by a jury of committing lewd and lascivious acts with two 13-year-old girls and sentenced to five concurrent terms of 15 years to life in prison, according to court records.

Anyone with information related to the most recent case can call police at 925-973-2779, or email Detective Brady McKinney at bmckinney@sanramon.ca.gov or Lt. Tami Williams at twilliams@sanramon.ca.gov.