A 56-year-old Kemah man has been arrested for aggravated sexual assault after a woman he met on Tinder reported being sexually assaulted at his home. Kemah Police are now investigating whether there are other potential victims.
Charles Rodney Finnell Jr. was arrested after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her following a Tinder date in February 2024.
KPRC has learned Finnell was an accounting professor at Lee College.
The college sent us this response:
"On Wednesday, Feb. 19, Lee College learned that the Kemah Police Department arrested Charles Finnell, an employee of the college, who has been on administrative leave since October 2024 by 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.by
As this is an ongoing personnel and legal issue, we cannot comment further at this time."
A former student of Finnell tells KPRC he would comment on female students' outfits and called young female students his “step children.”
Reviews on Rate My Professors also reveal more details.
One person writing in November 2024, “his attention is 100% towards young attractive females.”
Another from September 2024 writing, “Look him up in online Facebook groups, tons of females have red flagged him for suspicious behavior.”
The 26-year-old woman first met the suspect at a public park before going to his home on Bay Avenue for dinner the same night. When she tried to leave, Finnell allegedly attacked her, strangled her, and sexually assaulted her before allowing her to leave.
The woman went to the hospital after the attack. Investigators later identified Finnell as the suspect and found social media posts from other women sharing warnings about his alleged aggressive behavior.
Kemah police are looking into possible additional cases and asking anyone with information to come forward. Anyone who knows of other potential victims is encouraged to contact the department at 281-334-5414.
Finnell remains in custody with a bond set at $80,000.