Man Arraigned in Connection with Alleged Assault of a Child in Belmont

BELMONT – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Belmont Chief of Police James MacIsaac have confirmed that Rickland Powell, 59, of Belmont has been arrested in connection with assaulting a female child who is known to him.

The preliminary investigation suggests that on multiple occasions Rickland Powell sexually assaulted the victim and photographed her inside his Belmont home. He has been charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, distributing obscene matter to a minor, four counts of aggravated rape of a child, four counts of rape of a child with force, and posing a child in the nude.

On November 28, 2023, the allegations were reported to Belmont police who were granted a search warrant for the defendant’s home where they located media files, photos and other items. On November 30, police received information that the defendant was in Andover, when police approached him the defendant fled in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. Rickland Powell was subsequently located this morning in the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Stoneham. He was placed under arrest and subsequently transported to an area hospital.  

He was arraigned virtually today in Cambridge District Court and held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for December 8, 2023.