Nickelodeon star Drake Bell charged with child endangerment and pornography

Drake Bell, star of Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh, is facing charges of attempt to endanger children and misdemeanour child pornography involving a 15-year-old girl, according to Cleveland.com.

The 34-year-old actor and musician will expectedly plead guilty or no contest to all charges later this month.

The incidents happened at Bell’s December 2017 concert in Cleveland. It resulted in “serious physical harm” to the girl, the outlet reported. Court records on the site did not say how exactly Bell harmed the girl but it involved child pornography. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley’s office said that Bell and the girl established a relationship “several years” before the concert. 

ALSO READ: Marilyn Manson accused of another sexual assault in new lawsuit

“While there, Bell violated his duty of care. And, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim,” a prosecutor’s office spokesman told the outlet. The representative also said Bell sent the girl “inappropriate social media messages” leading up to the concert. 

It is unclear when the police took Bell into custody. But Fox News reported that he was released Thursday on a $2,500 bond. “The facts will be revealed in the courtroom,” Bell’s attorney, Ian Friedman, told cleveland.com.

Bell co-starred on the Nick show Drake & Josh, a series about two stepbrothers learning to get along, with actor Josh Peck, from 2004 to 2007. Following the show’s finale, Bell went on to star in Nickelodeon original movies of the animated show Fairly Odd Parents.