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Nickelodeon's Drake Bell pleads guilty to attempted child endangerment as he faces up to 2 years in prison
Drake Bell has pleaded guilty to attempted child endangerment and disseminating material harmful to children during a court hearing on Wednesday, June 23.
The former child star, who is best known for his portrayal of Drake Parker on the hit Nickelodeon show Drake & Josh, was arrested and charged earlier this month, People Magazine reports.
The actor and singer - born Jared Bell - had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges but later entered into a plea deal during a virtual court appearance, per local ABC affiliate News 5.
"My understanding is there's been a plea agreement reached where the defendant will plead guilty to count one attempted endangering children, a felony in the fourth degree [and] plead guilty to count two: disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a misdemeanor the first degree," the judge said, as reported by People Magazine.
The judge went on to inform the 34-year-old actor that attempted child endangerment carries a sentence of somewhere between six to 18 months in prison - however, potential prison time is not mandatory. He also faces a fine of up to $5,000.
Disseminating material harmful to children carries a sentence of up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
The judge added: "However, if you go to prison, upon your release, you could be subjected to a discretionary period of three years post-release control. Post-release control could involve restrictions on your activities.
"If you were to violate those restrictions, you can be returned to prison, [for] up to a maximum of one-half of your original sentence."
Bell is due to be sentenced on July 12 and his 15-year-old victim is permitted to read out a statement at the upcoming hearing, the judge said.
According to the New York Times, the two charges relate to the relationship he had with the teenager who he met online. She later attended a concert of his in Cleveland in December 2017, it is alleged.
Following the incident, the adolescent filed a report at a police department in her home country of Canada in 2018.
Per KXAN, Bell allegedly engaged in an inappropriate chat with the juvenile which at times was sexual in nature.
Last year, his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Lingafelt, accused him of physical and verbal abuse, with Bell denying the charges.