Drake Bell, the former Nickelodeon star of “Drake & Josh,” pleaded guilty to Wednesday’s charges relating to a girl she met online and who attended one of his concerts at Cleveland in 2017. She was 15.
Jared “Drake”, 34, from West Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty to Zoom to felony child endangerment. The sentencing hearing is set for July 12, in Cleveland.
Ian Friedman, defense attorney, said Wednesday that he couldn’t comment on the case, but stated it would be revealed at sentencing “why M. Bell chose today’s plea.”
Bell initially pleaded not guilt to the charges earlier in the month. Tyler Sinclair, spokesperson for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office said that the girl had contacted Toronto police October 2018. The Toronto police contacted Cleveland police to initiate an investigation.
Sinclair stated that the attempted endangering children case relates to the concert where Bell “violated [his duty of care]” and created a danger to the victim. Sinclair did not elaborate.
Sinclair stated that Bell and the girl had “developed an online relationship” several years before the concert. Sinclair stated that the disseminating hazardous material charge stems from Bell sending inappropriate social media messages to the girl.
The range of sentencing is from probation to two years imprisonment. The sentencing will allow the girl to make a victim impact statement.
Sinclair did not comment on Wednesday.
Bell is also a singer and began acting as a child. However, he was able to rise to stardom with Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show”, then “Drake & Josh” as a teen. The channel debuted Bell on January 4, 2004. The last episode aired on September 2007. Bell and Josh Peck starred in “Drake & Josh”, two movies.
