OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — An airbrush tattoo artist arrested on charges of molesting a 7-year-old girl will remain in jail, following his court appearance Thursday.
The child was vacationing with her family at the Vaction Villas at Fantasy World Resort in Osceola County.
The tattoo artist, Damon Bellis, 47, was hired by the hotel to give airbrush tattoos in the pool area.
That's where he inappropriately touched the girl several times, and may have taken pictures, authorities said.
Bellis was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation and is being held without bail.
Deputies arrested him Wednesday at the resort.
The 7-year-old victim told deputies Bellis pulled her bathing suit back and inappropriately touched her several times in one of the hotel's pool areas.
Deputies said a witness saw the incident, indicated that Bellis may have taken pictures and told the victim's mother.
Deputies said the victim told them she wanted to get up and run, but didn't want everyone to see her after he'd pulled aside her bathing suit.
According to the arrest report, Bellis was walking away from deputies and one of them saw him throw his cellphone into his car and lock it, before telling them he didn't have it on him.
Deputies said Bellis denied the allegations and later gave up his cellphone as evidence.
The resort released a statement saying in part, "The welfare of our guests is our top priority. The artist has been asked not to return to our property until this matter is resolved by authorities."
WFTV
