CLEVELAND — Jared Bell, the Nickelodeon star who played Drake in the TV show “Drake and Josh,” has been indicted by a grand jury in Cuyahoga County for alleged crimes involving a 15-year-old girl while he visited Cleveland, according to court records.
Bell, 34, of West Hollywood, Calif., has been indicted on charges of attempted endangering children, a fourth-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a first-degree misdemeanor.
According to court documents, the date of the offense was Dec. 1, 2017. Bell, who goes by Drake Campana, tweeted in October 2017 that he was coming to Cleveland’s The Odeon to play on Dec. 1, 2017. That tweet was deleted today.
In October 2018, the 15-year-old victim filed a report with her local police department in Canada regarding an incident that occurred between her and Bell in 2017 at a Cleveland nightclub on Old River Road in the city’s East Bank of The Flats district, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
Canadian authorities contacted the Cleveland Division of Police, which conducted the subsequent investigation.
Investigators determined the 15-year-old victim, who they say had established a relationship with Bell several years prior, attended his concert in December 2017.
Just Announced: Cleveland, OH - Dec 1 at The Odeon Concert Club https://t.co/KVB5GfvB1g
— Drake Campana 🇲🇽 (@DrakeBell) October 19, 2017
While he was there, the prosecutor’s office said he violated his duty of care, and, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation revealed that in the months leading up to the concert, Bell sent the victim inappropriate social media messages.
Bell was also in Kent, Ohio on May 19 for a concert at The Outpost.
Bell was arraigned in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived the reading of the indictment.
A personal bond was set for $2,500. Terms of his bond included having no contact with the victim, and he must submit a DNA specimen, which are all standard procedures for defendants. Court records show Bell posted bond the same day as his arraignment.
His first pre-trial has been scheduled for June 17 at 9 a.m. in the courtroom of Judge Timothy McCormick.
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