Molestation of son may have led to Bell absence

Jerry Fink and Jace Radke

Tuesday, June 1, 1999 | 11:48 a.m.

Acclaimed radio talk show host Art Bell's mysterious disappearance from the airwaves last October may have been explained Friday with the revelation that Bell's son was sexually molested by a substitute teacher in Pahrump who has tested positive for HIV.

Bell abruptly left his show Oct. 13 without explanation, returning three days later to resume his "Coast to Coast AM" and "Dreamland" broadcasts.

In November a "John Doe" lawsuit was filed against the Nye County School District and school officials as well as former high school substitute teacher Brian Eugene Lepley, 34.

In April 1998 Lepley had been convicted of sexual assault against a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old boy.

Lepley was convicted of intentionally trying to transmit the AIDS virus to the older teenager, who apparently is Bell's son, Arthur Bell IV.

Investigators said the younger boy had not been a student of Lepleys.

In the amended suit filed Friday by Las Vegas attorney John Hawley, the identity of John Doe was revealed to be the younger Bell.

Bell's son claims in his lawsuit that while he was a student at Pahrump Valley High School from August 1996 to May 1997, Lepley was a substitute teacher in several of his classes.

He said he was sexually harassed by Lepley and that the school district "for many years ... permitted and condoned sexual relations between teachers and students."

Included in the suit are school Superintendent Geraldine Harge and Principal Jerry Hill.

Bell claims Harge and Hill were Lepley's supervisors and were responsible for the policies which allowed Lepley to use his position to sexually harass Bell.

"Despite having actual notice of Lepley's inappropriate sexual conduct towards students, none of the defendants took the necessary investigatory or disciplinary actions against Lepley," said the suit.

The suit alleges that in 1995 Harge directed that Lepley no longer be permitted to substitute teach at area middle schools because of complaints.

"Defendants knew or reasonably should have known of Lepley's actions," said the suit. "Through their inaction, defendants negligently retained Lepley as a teacher and employee ... after having been made aware of his abuse of students."