'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Drake Bell finally addressed his child endangerment conviction charges a couple of months after getting sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service. The 35-year-old previously pled guilty to all charges during a virtual hearing in Ohio.
The Nickelodeon alum recently opened up about the situation in an Instagram video and mentioned that the majority of claims made against him were false:
"A lot of the news that you've been hearing, most of the news that you've heard recently is entirely false and wrong and I feel that you deserve and I owe you an explanation… I know that this has moved very quickly for you but for me it's been a three-year thorough investigation into every false claim that has been made and it's not me telling you that the claims are false, but the state of Ohio has proven the claims to be false. If these claims were remotely true, my situation would be very different, and I would not be here at home with my wife and my son,” Drake Bell said.
However, the Drake & Josh star also confessed that he made mistakes by exchanging 'reckless and irresponsible' text messages with a fan without knowing their age:
“I'm not perfect, and I made mistakes. I responded to a fan whose age I didn't know … yet when I became aware of their age, all conversation and communication stopped. And this individual continued to come to shows and pay for meet and greets, all while I was unaware that this was the same person that I was communicating with online. And, uh, and that's what I pled guilty to… It was reckless and irresponsible text messages.”
Meanwhile, Drake Bell denied the rumored arrest and shot down the allegations of distributing content harmful to minors:
"I was not charged with anything physical. I was not charged with disseminating a photograph or images or anything like that. This is strictly over text messages.”
During his previous court hearing, Drake Bell agreed to charges of misconduct and apologized to the victim:
"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. 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."
However, in his latest video, the actor mentioned that he accepted the plea deal to move on from the situation without any complications:
“When I was presented with a plea deal because of the messages I felt that it was the best way to get this over quickly and for everybody involved to be able to move on and for me to get back to doing what I love and that's making music for you."
Following the sentencing, the now 19-year-old victim mentioned that the artist has caused her “indescribable pain”. The judge asked Drake Bell to refrain from contacting the victim during probation and announced that the status of his conviction would be reviewed after two years.
A look into Drake Bell’s life amid his ongoing probation sentence
Drake Bell is an American actor, singer, songwriter and musician. He was born on June 27, 1986, in California. He is currently 35 years old. He began his career in the entertainment industry at the tender age of five with a role in American sitcom Home Improvement.
He rose to prominence with Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show and gained worldwide recognition with Drake & Josh. He went on to appear in several films and TV shows over the years.
He also launched a career in music and released three studio albums, one EP and one video album. Drake Bell has been part of numerous gigs and concerts throughout his career.
Last year, Drake Bell reportedly changed his name to Drake Campana and sparked rumors about moving to Mexico. However, he clarified the rumors in his latest Instagram video and mentioned that he has not changed his name and has not moved to Mexico.
The much-loved Nickelodeon star left fans in shock after being charged over a child endangerment case earlier this year. The victim accused the actor of inappropriate behavior against a minor nearly three years ago. The incident reportedly took place in 2017 when Drake Bell was 31 years old.
According to several reports, the Terrific singer was arrested on June 3, 2021 and released on $2500 bond. Although Drake Bell initially refuted the claims during a legal hearing, he later pled guilty in court.
However, Drake Bell has now revealed that he was not arrested and claimed that the majority of rumors against him were “false and wrong”. He also mentioned that he agreed to the plea deal only to “move on” from the situation.
He was sentenced to two years of probation by the judge on charges of felony and misdemeanor. Amid his ongoing probation, the actor surprisingly revealed that he has been married to longtime girlfriend Janet Von Schmeling for three years. The couple also share a son together.
Drake Bell’s conviction status is set to be reviewed after the completion of his probation term. The artist did not discuss his probation status in his new video.
