Baytown college professor arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting Tinder date, Kemah police say

KEMAH, Texas (KTRK) -- A Baytown college professor is in jail accused of sexually assaulting a woman he met on the dating app Tinder.

The Kemah Police Department said the 56-year-old Charles Rodney Finnell, Jr. turned himself in after being charged with aggravated sexual assault for an incident that happened on Feb. 1, 2024.

Investigators said that after connecting on Tinder, Finnell met his 26-year-old date at a Friendswood park before going back to his million-dollar home on Galveston Bay in Kemah for dinner.

There, Kemah Police Chief Raymond Garivey said the victim tried to leave when he allegedly attacked and overpowered her.

Finnell is accused of strangling and sexually assaulting the woman before letting her go, according to Garivey.

Authorities said the woman required medical attention for her injuries.

Kemah police said several women warned others on social media about a man's "aggressive behavior" who they encountered on Tinder, and investigators identified him as Finnell.

The Kemah Police Department is investigating other possible incidents and potential victims.

Police surveillance video, obtained by ABC13 through a public information request, shows Finnell being handcuffed in the lobby Wednesday afternoon. By nightfall, he was in the Galveston County jail, being held on a $80,000 bond.

"Mr. Finnell adamantly asserts his innocence. The facts will reveal that he did not commit this offense. These allegations are abjectly false. Text messages exist that shed light onto the falseness of this allegation. It is concerning that a controverted assertion is sufficient for law enforcement in this county to pursue such serious criminal charges against someone. We merely ask the public not to jump to conclusions from incomplete and inaccurate information being presented," Ryan Fremuth, Finnell's attorney, told Eyewitness News.

Eyewitness News contacted Lee College in Baytown, which confirmed that Finnell is a professor of accounting and is currently on administration leave.

The college sent ABC13 the following statement:

"Lee College learned (Wednesday) that the Kemah Police Department arrested Charles Finnell, an employee of the college, who has been on administrative leave since October 2024 in accordance with our internal policies. The College takes allegations of violence seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe learning and work environment for our students and employees. We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action as necessary. As this is an ongoing personnel and legal issue, we cannot comment further at this time."

Authorities are urging the public to contact Kemah PD at 281-334-5414 if they have any information related to this case.

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