Drake Bell, best known for his role on “Drake and Josh” on Nickelodeon in the early 2000s, is safe and has been in contact with police after earlier being reported as missing in Florida.
Daytona Beach Police had earlier Thursday said he was last seen a day ago and was considered “missing and endangered.” In response to those questioning if their post was real on Thursday morning, authorities noted in the comments section on Facebook that “this is a legitimate post from the Daytona Beach Police Department.”
“At this time we can confirm law enforcement officials are in contact and Mr. Bell is safe,” the update said.
Reps for Bell did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
In 2021, Bell pled guilty to felony attempted child endangerment, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a misdemeanor. As a result, Bell was sentenced to two years of probation, along with 200 hours of community service, and was required to register as a sex offender.
A few months later, Bell opened up on Instagram about the situation, calling his behavior “reckless and irresponsible.”
“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,” Bell said at the time. “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. I would not be here at home with my wife and with my son. But that being said, I am not perfect, and I make mistakes.”
He added, “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 be able to move on and for me to get back to doing what I love.”
