Police officers have confirmed that Drake Bell is ‘safe’ shortly after sounding the alarm that he was missing.
Earlier today, the Daytona Beach Police Department pleaded for information after the 36-year-old – who starred as Drake Parker in Drake and Josh – went missing.
In a post shared on their official Facebook page, they said that the actor – real name Jared Drake Bell – was last seen on April 12.
‘** MISSING ** Officers are looking for Jared Bell, DOB 06/27/1986,’ it read.
‘He should be traveling in a 2022 grey BMW and his last known location is potentially the area of Mainland High School on 4/12/2023 just before 9pm.
‘He is considered missing and endangered.’
A spokesperson has now told Metro.co.uk: ‘At this time we can confirm law enforcement officials are in contact and Mr Bell is safe.’
It has not been made clear where and when Bell was found, or why officers were concerned for his location.
He has not spoken publicly about the incident on social media.
The Nickelodeon actor made headlines in 2021 when he spoke out after pleading guilty to attempted child endangerment, and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
He was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service, and was also prohibited from contacting the victim, who accused him of grooming her from the age of 12 and sexually abusing her when she was 15.
Taking to Instagram, he addressed the allegations made against him in a video posted in September of that year, and explained: ‘I know that this has moved very quickly for you, but for me it’s been a three-year thorough investigation into every false claim that has been made, and it’s not me telling you that the claims are false, but the state of Ohio has proven the claims to be false.
‘If these claims were remotely true, my situation would be very different, and I would not be here at home with my wife and my son. But that being said, I’m not perfect, and I made mistakes.
‘I responded to a fan whose age I didn’t know … yet when I became aware of their age, all conversation and communication stopped. And this individual continued to come to shows and pay for meet and greets, all while I was unaware that this was the same person that I was communicating with online.
‘And, uh, and that’s what I pled guilty to. You know, I … it was reckless and irresponsible text messages.’
He added: ‘I want to make clear that there were no sexual images, nothing physical between me and this individual. I was not charged with anything physical. I was not charged with disseminating photographs or images or anything like that.
‘This is strictly over text messages, and when I was presented with a plea deal, because of the messages, I felt that it was the best way to get this over quickly and for everybody involved to get to move on. And for me to get back doing what I love and that’s making music for you.’
Bell came to fame at a young age, and popped up opposite Tim Allen in Home Improvement in 1994, when he was five years old.
He gained fans after starring in the Amanda Show on Nickelodeon, and went on to land his own series, Drake and Josh, with former co-star Josh Peck.
The actor claimed a handful of Kids Choice awards for the part, with Drake and Josh running for four seasons until 2007.
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