‘CONDUCT WAS WRONG’

Former ‘Drake & Josh’ Star Drake Bell Gets Probation for Child Endangerment Charges

The actor’s victim called him a pedophile who groomed and sexually abused her.

Weeks after pleading guilty to child endangerment, Drake & Josh star Drake Bell was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service on Monday. The 35-year-old actor must also register as a sex offender in the state of Ohio. “Today I accept this plea because my conduct was wrong,” Bell said before his sentencing. Bell’s victim has accused him of forcing her to perform oral sex on him after a December 2017 concert in Cleveland. Tyler Sinclair, the Cuyahoga Prosecutor’s Office’s public information officer, said Bell had sent the young girl “inappropriate social media messages” and had established a “relationship” with her before they met at the concert. The young woman, now 19, read a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing on Monday, accusing Bell of being a pedophile who groomed and sexually abused her. In a statement, Bell’s attorney said the victim’s allegations lacked supporting evidence and were contradicted “by the facts learned through extensive investigation.”