Drake Bell's alleged victim accuses him of 'grooming' her beginning when she was 12
Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell has been sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to attempted child endangerment — and his alleged victim spoke out during the sentencing.
Judge Timothy McCormick during a hearing Monday sentenced Bell to probation after he was charged with felony attempted child endangerment and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. The actor was also sentenced to 200 hours of community service and was ordered to have no contact with the victim, NBC News reports. He had been facing up to two years in prison.
Prosecutors alleged Bell developed a relationship with a girl online and that she attended his concert in December 2017, when she was 15. "While there," prosecutors said, "Bell violated his duty of care and, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim." He was also accused of sending "inappropriate social media messages" to her. Bell initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty.
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The woman, who is now 19 years old, addressed the court during the sentencing hearing on Monday, accusing Bell of sexual misconduct, of sending graphic photos, and of "grooming me" beginning when she was 12, NBC News reports. The allegations she spoke about went "far beyond" the counts Bell pleaded guilty to, Deadline writes, and his lawyer denied them.
"He was calculating, he preyed on me and he sexually abused me," the woman said, per Deadline. "He is a monster and a danger to children. ... Jared Drake Bell is a pedophile, and that is his legacy."
Bell told the court his "conduct was wrong" and that he's "sorry that the victim was harmed in any way, but that was obviously not my intention." Before announcing the sentencing, the judge called the claims that the accuser made in court "serious and disturbing," but he also noted that Bell "did not plead to sexual misconduct."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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