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Former Drake and Josh star Drake Bell addresses child endangerment charges to which he pleaded guilty and received 2 years probation.
Old Drake and Josh Star Drake Bell broke his silence and addressed the child endangerment allegations and convictions he has recently faced. Bell is an American actor and musician, best known for his role in the Nickelodeon series, Drake and Josh. Bell largely switched from theater to music after the conclusion of Drake and Josh and remained out of public sight for some time. However, in June 2021, Bell was charged with endangering children.
The charges against Bell stem from an inappropriate text conversation he allegedly had with a minor in 2017. The arrest took place in 2021 and he was released on bail on condition that he did not contact the victim. In his subsequent trial, he pleaded guilty to charges of endangering children and disseminating information harmful to minors. The victim, now 19, made a public statement at trial accusing her of sexually assaulting her as a minor. Bell was ultimately sentenced to 2 years probation and 200 hours of community service.
Now Bell is speaking for the first time about the charges he pleaded guilty to. In a short video posted to his Instagram page, Bell offered an explanation of the trial and the nature of his crimes. He admitted to engaging in “reckless sms” with a fan whose age he did not know. When he found out her age, he stopped communicating with her. However, the victim continued to attend Bell’s shows and meetups, and he didn’t realize she was the same person he texted. He said nothing physical had happened, no photos were released, and he pleaded largely guilty to bring the trial to a swift end. Check out his statement below:
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Bell has repeatedly said that much of the information surrounding his case is false and urged his viewers not to believe everything they read or hear in the media. He admitted his text messages were a mistake and he pleaded guilty in part because of them, but firmly denied any allegations of sexual assault. Bell’s case has certainly been the subject of close scrutiny and received extensive media coverage. Even former Bell co-star Josh Peck has commented on the case and expressed disappointment at the accusations. Outside of his trial, Bell has remained silent so far, which has heightened speculation. While it is difficult to determine the veracity of Bell’s claims, it is true that he was not charged with sexual assault, and reports claiming there was a sexual element to the charges lacked evidence. .
It remains to be seen what the impact of Bell’s statement will be. Despite his claims and the support he received on his social media following the video, his reputation has been tarnished by the allegations. Bell’s guilty plea to a charge of endangering a child and the painful victim impact statement both serve to thwart any attempts to downplay the seriousness of the incident. The truth in cases like these is often difficult to establish, but regardless, if some of the accusations were false, what is clear is that Bell’s actions had a serious impact on the victim. What is the Drake and Josh star labels like “reckless sms” may have been a much more traumatic experience from the victim’s perspective. As important as it is for Bell to present his side of the story, it is just as important that it be done with respect for the victim.
Source: Drake Bell
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