The former Nickelodeon star receives two years of probation and a suspended one-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to child endangerment charges.
- July 13, 2021
AceShowbiz - Actor Drake Bell has been ordered to serve two years of probation and a suspended one-year jail sentence for attempted child endangerment and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
The former "Drake & Josh" star pleaded guilty to the charges last month (Jun21) and appeared via Zoom in Ohio's Cuyahoga County Common Pleas courtroom before Judge Timothy McCormick on Monday (12Jul21).
His now-19-year-old accuser also appeared via Zoom and, during her victim impact statement, she added allegations of sexual contact which appeared to surprise Bell.
"Don't look at me like that!" she said when Bell shook his head in reaction to her account of an oral sex session when she was 15 years old.
"I idolised and looked up to him. He was calculating, he preyed on me and he sexually abused me. He is a monster and a danger to children... and he can give me that look all he wants, but he knows exactly what I'm talking about. My suffering is not for him to brag about or use as leverage about how he's become a good person now that he's a father."
The actor stunned fans recently when he revealed he was married and a father.
Bell spoke briefly in court and stated, "I just want to say today I accept this plea because my conduct was wrong. I have taken this matter very, very seriously... I just want to apologise to her and anyone else who may have been affected by my actions."
His attorney also pointed out that the victim's impact statement included serious allegations that were not listed among her initial claims, adding his client had not been charged.
The judge agreed, sentencing Bell to one count of attempted child endangering and one count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
The charges date back to an incident on 1 December 2017 when Bell was scheduled to perform at a club in Cleveland. The then-31-year-old was reportedly caught engaging in an inappropriate chat with the unidentified victim.
According to TMZ, Drake met the girl online and, in the months before the concert, sent the underage victim suggestive social media messages.
He was indicted in May (21) and released on bail. He initially protested his innocence in a court hearing on 3 June, when he was ordered to stay away from his victim.
