To many, Drake Bell is known for his work on the classic Nickelodeon series Drake & Josh and The Amanda Show and, in recent years, he’s even lent his voice to the role of Marvel’s Spider-Man on a few animated series. Unfortunately, the actor has dealt with a number of legal issues over the past several years. Now, the actor and musician is facing charges, including attempted endangering of children, a fourth-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a first degree misdemeanor. Bell has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges stem from an alleged incident that took place on December 1, 2017. Per the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office in Ohio, the alleged victim, 15, filed a report with her local police department in Canada back ini October 2018. In the report, she made claims regarding an alleged incident at a Cleveland nightclub from the previous year that she says involved Bell.
Cuyahoga County officials say that Canadian authorities then contacted Cleveland police, after which they began an investigation. According to reports, the investigation found that Drake Bell had established a relationship with the alleged victim years prior to the reported incident in Cleveland. In December 2017, the victim reportedly attended Bell’s concert in Cleveland, during which he allegedly “violated his duty of care and, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim.” The investigation also revealed that in the years prior to the concert, Bell allegedly engaged in an inappropriate chat with the victim that was reportedly sexual at times, per Fox 8. This included Bell allegedly sending the victim inappropriate social media messages.
Jared Drake Bell, as court documents refer to him, previously tweeted in October 2017 that he was set to play at the The Odeon Concert Club in Cleveland on December 1, 2017. As of Friday afternoon, that tweet has been deleted.
After entering his not guilty plea, Drake Bell was released on $2,500 bond this past Thursday and has agreed to have no contact with the alleged victim in the case. Bell was also asked to submit a DNA sample, which is standard practice in Ohio. Attorneys for Bell also provided a statement to CNN:
All facts will be revealed in the courtroom. There is no additional comment at this time.
As mentioned, this is not the first time Drake Bell has made headlines over a controversial situation. Last year, Bell’s ex-girlfriend took to social media to accuse him of physically and verbally abusing her during their three-year relationship. The former Nickelodeon star later released a statement in which he denied the claims.
In regard to this current situation, a formal hearing (that will be conducted via Zoom) is scheduled to take place on June 23. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the situation as more news arrives.
