Investigation Leads to Three Arrests and Recovery of Carjacked Vehicle/Guns

Investigation by Violent Crimes Division detectives led to three arrests Wednesday and the recovery of four guns and a carjacked Volkswagen Jetta.

The stolen Jetta was in an alley in the 1500 block of 9th Avenue North and followed to a Gwen Drive residence. A second car, driven by Bill Bell Jr., 28, arrived at the residence. Bell and two other suspects were seen handling several firearms in the yard. Detectives approached them and they fled on foot. After a short pursuit, all three were apprehended. Recovered from Bell were two pistols and one long gun. Another firearm was recovered from his flight path along with a felony amount of cocaine. One of the recovered guns had been stolen in April from a vehicle in a Myatt Drive parking lot.

Bell, who has prior convictions for reckless endangerment and second-degree murder, is now charged with vehicle theft, felon in possession of a weapon (3 counts), gun possession during the commission of a felony (3 counts) and felony drug possession. He is being held in lieu of $112,000 bond.

Also arrested were Oshane East, 24, who is charged with vehicle theft and evading arrest, and a 17-year-old who is charged in Juvenile Court with evading arrest and juvenile gun possession.

The Volkswagen Jetta had been stolen Monday outside a Paula Drive residence by three armed men.