Nickelodeon star Drake Bell was sentenced to two years probation by an Ohio judge after pleading guilty to criminal charges involving a minor.
The child actor and singer, 35, whose real name is Jared Drake Bell, appeared in court on Monday via Zoom. He was dressed in a dark suit with a light pink shirt and a patterned tie.
Bell was sentenced to two years probation, 200 hours of community service in California, and cannot have any contact with the victim. After his probation, the judge said his sex offender status would be reviewed.
“Today I accept this plea because my conduct was wrong. I’m sorry that the victim was harmed in any way — that was obviously not my intention,” Bell said in court. “I have taken this matter very very seriously, and again I just want to apologize to her and anyone else who may have been affected by my actions.”
DRAKE BELL PLEADS GUILTY TO CRIMINAL CHARGES INVOLVING A MINOR
Before the sentencing, the female victim, now 19 years old, spoke about the ordeal. “The pain that the defendant has caused me is indescribable, and it worsens every day,” she said in an emotional statement. “Being used by somebody who meant the world to me has left me feeling more hurt than I have ever been before.”
She also called Bell a pedophile, accused him of sexual misconduct on two occasions, and sending her “blatantly” sexual photos and messages when she was a teen.
Bell’s lawyer denied the claims in his rebuttal statement.
Drake Jared Bell is known for his former role on Nickelodeon’s "Drake and Josh."
(Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Dept.)
Back in June, Bell pleaded guilty to one count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and one count of attempted endangering children.
He posted a $2,500 bond and was released from the Cuyahoga County Jail on June 3 after being events in Cleveland.
Fox 8 previously reported that Bell allegedly engaged in an inappropriate chat with a victim that “at times, was sexual in nature.”
According to the outlet, prosecutors say the victim, 15, filed a report with a local police department in Canada in 2018 regarding an incident involving Bell that took place in Cleveland on Dec. 1, 2017. Police in Canada contacted authorities in Cleveland and an investigation ensued.
‘NICKELODEON’ STAR DRAKE BELL’S EX-GIRLFRIEND ACCUSES HIM OF ABUSE, ACTOR DENIES CLAIMS
Bell reportedly tweeted about playing Cleveland’s The Odeon Concert Club on Dec. 1 of that year but the post has since been deleted.
At the concert, Bell allegedly “violated his duty of care and, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim,” prosecutors said.
Bell is also known as Drake Campana. “Drake and Josh” ran from 2004-2007 and saw him and his onscreen brother Josh Peck as teens trying to survive high school and learning to get along.
Since “Drake & Josh” ended in 2007, Bell has done voice acting and starred in various short films. He also voiced Timmy Turner in three television movies of the Nickelodeon cartoon “Fairly Odd Parents.” Just days before he was taken to jail, Bell promoted live video chats on Cameo with him through his official Twitter account.
‘NICKELODEON’ STAR DRAKE BELL’S EX-GIRLFRIEND ACCUSES HIM OF ABUSE, ACTOR DENIES CLAIMS
Last August, Bell spoke out after his ex-girlfriend Melissa Lingafelt accused him of verbal and physical abuse. Lingafelt, a singer and actress, posted a lengthy video on TikTok under her stage name Jimi Ono, detailing the alleged assault during their relationship from August 2006 to February 2009. Bell said he “never abused my ex-girlfriend or did so many of the other things Melissa falsely claimed on her TikTok video.”
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The “Drake & Josh” alum continued: “As our relationship ended — more than a decade ago — we, unfortunately, both called each other terrible names, as often happens when couples are breaking up. But that is it.”
In 2015, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in California.
Fox News’ Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.
