Missing Nickelodeon Star Found Safe in Florida After Being Reported Missing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. (KPEL News) - Jared Drake Bell, a former Nickelodeon star best known for a starring role in the show Drake & Josh, has been found safe after having been reported missing and possibly in danger.
According to the Daytona Beach Police Department, Bell was last seen in the area of Mainland High School on Wednesday evening. Initially, he was considered "missing and endangered," according to a Facebook post published by the department.
However, early Thursday afternoon, law enforcement updated their notice to say "At this time, we can confirm law enforcement officials are in contact and Mr. Bell is safe."
Bell's Legal Issues
According to Variety, the former child star has been in recent legal trouble. In June of 2021, he pleaded guilty to felony charges related to a sexual sexting relationship with a minor.
Back in June 2021, Bell pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempting to endanger children and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. He was later sentenced to two years’ probation and 200 hours of community service
The charges stemmed from an incident that took place between a then-31-year-old Bell and a 15-year-old girl in December 2017. Police said at the time that the meeting between the two followed months of social media messages that were “at times … sexual in nature.”
In 2015, Bell was arrested for a DUI with bail set at $20,000. In that case, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and spent four days in jail.
Several months later, Bell turned to TikTok to tell his side of the story. In a post there, he claimed that he did not know the girl's age during their conversations and cut ties with her when he found out. He went on to say that the girl stalked him from one concert to another, which led to his arrest.