Drake Bell found safe, speaks out after being 'considered missing' by police
Drake Bell has been found safe, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department, which was conducting a search for the 36-year-old actor.
The department posted on Facebook Thursday, noting that the "Drake & Josh" actor, born Jared Drake Bell, went missing Wednesday.
The police department added that Bell was "considered missing and endangered." On Facebook, the department shared a statement with Bell's image and asked that the public share any information they may have by contacting Detective Jayson Wallace.
The department did not specify why they believed Bell to be in danger at the time.
USA TODAY has reached out to Wallace.
The former Nickelodeon star seemed to poke fun at the situation on Twitter later Thursday, writing: "You leave your phone in the car and don’t answer for the night and this?"
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Bell pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges after being accused of sexual contact and grooming an underage fan. Bell was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in a Cleveland court in 2021.
He was charged with disseminating harmful matter to juveniles and attempted child endangerment. In court, the victim said Bell exchanged explicit photos online and engaged in sexual conduct with her on several occasions, including at a 2017 concert venue in Cleveland and at a hotel. The victim said Bell began grooming her when she was 12.
Bell addressed the situation in an Instagram video in 2021.
In the video, Bell acknowledged his interactions were "reckless and irresponsible," but he claimed he was "unaware" of her age and only communicated with her via text messages — without any physical contact.
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Contributing: Jenna Ryu, Charles Trepa
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drake Bell found safe after going missing, police say