Christopher Chell, a former youth football coach from Florida, has been arrested following allegations of sexual misconduct with a child. According to WFTV, the victim disclosed the incident to a teacher, eventually leading to Chell's arrest. The suspect, 44, was extradited to Marion County, where he faces a charge of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years old.
The investigation, stemming from an October 2022 incident, alleges that after driving the victim home from a flag football game, Chell molested the child. Having served as the child's coach, it was during this trusted journey home that the inappropriate conduct is said to have occurred, a grim twist on a role that is characteristically protective. The case transitioned to Marion County's jurisdiction following the incident's reported location as determined by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, detailed ClickOrlando.
Chell's history includes prior arrests for similar offenses. Notably, in 2024, the Gainesville Police Department arrested him for multiple counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving other minors, though some charges were subsequently dropped. Chell later entered a plea to felony battery and was handed a sentence of 60 months of probation, as FirstCoastNews reported. Detective Adkins is quoted stating, "It is apparent that Christopher [Chell] was using his position in the school to commit sex crimes on young children."
Chell was released upon posting a $10,000 bond pending trial. Investigators suspect that there may be additional victims and are appealing to the public for information. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact Detective Paxton at (352) 368-3534.
