Drake Bell Arrested For Attempted Endangerment Of Children In Ohio

Drake Bell, the star of Nickelodeon's Drake and Josh has been charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and attempted endangering children in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

The 34-year-old was arrested by the Cleveland Division of Police, but it is not immediately clear when he was arrested.

A mugshot has emerged of the star, real name Jared Drake Bell, dated Thursday 3 June, just before 03:00pm.

It has been reported that court documents show that Bell appeared in the Cuyahoga County Court yesterday and entered a not guilty plea before being released on a $2,500 bond.

That bond reportedly contained an order that he have no contact with the alleged victim.

A virtual pre-trial hearing is thought to have been scheduled for June 23.

Drake and Josh, which starred Bell alongside co-star Josh Nichols, was one of Nickelodeon's most popular shows during a run that stretched from 2004 to 2007.

In the past, Bell has been accused of 'verbal and physical abuse' by his ex-girlfriend Melissa Lingafelt.

Lingafelt, known better by her stage name Jimi Ono, created a TikTok video in which she alleged that she was subjected to 'the worst type of verbal abuse you could imagine', which she later claimed turned into physical abuse.

They dated in 2006 for around two years before calling time on their relationship.

In the video, Lingafelt said: "I started dating Drake when I was 16. I was home-schooled, I moved in with him. I was singing. It wasn't until about a year when the verbal abuse started, and when I say verbal abuse, imagine the worst type of verbal abuse you could imagine and that's what I got."

"The verbal abuse then turned to physical. Hitting, throwing. Everything. At the pinnacle of it, he dragged me down the stairs in our house in Los Feliz, my face hit every step on the way down. I have photos of this."

Bell strenuously denied the allegations made against him, stating that he 'never abused my ex-girlfriend or did so many of the other things Melissa falsely claimed on her TikTok video.'

He said that his ex-girlfriend made the claims about him as part of a 'misguided quest for more money or attention,' and said that he was considering 'legal options'.

Featured Image Credit: Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office/Cleveland Division of Police

Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity, US Entertainment

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

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