A man was arrested in a Massachusetts park on a slew of child sexual assault charges a day after fleeing police who'd approached him during the investigation officials, said Friday.
Rickland Powell is accused of sexually assaulting the victim, who was under 14, and taking photographs of her in his home in Belmont, Massachusetts, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and Belmont police. He's been held without bail.
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He was arrested in the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Stoneham on Friday morning after speeding away from police in a vehicle Thursday in Andover, officials said. After his arrest, he was taken to a hospital.
The district attorney's office said Powell is 59 years old while the Massachusetts State Police said he is 29. According to police, he was found alive hanging from a tree.
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Powell appeared virtually in Cambridge District Court Friday to face charges of indecent assault and battery on a child, aggravated rape of a child, distributing obscene matter to a minor and posing a child in the nude, officials said. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
The investigation began Tuesday, when the allegations of sexual assault were reported to police, according to the officials. Investigators allegedly found media and photos at Powell's home after obtaining search warrants.
State police said evidence indicated Powell raped the female child multiple times.
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He's being held without bail until a dangerous hearing on Dec. 8, officials said.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
