Nonetheless, when the new father entered his plea, it was unclear at the time where he would face jail time or a lighter form of punishment.
On Monday, the Drake & Josh actor was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service with the stipulation that he ceases all contact with the now-19-year-old victim.
She testified that “Jared Drake Bell is a pedophile, and that is his legacy.” The victim began an online relationship with Bell when she was just twelve years old, including “sending her graphic photos and engaging in sexual misconduct in two separate incidents.” Cleveland police “determined that the teen had established a relationship with Bell several years prior [and] attended his concert in December 2017” according to NBC News.
Bell accepted the plea stating, “Today I accept this plea because my conduct was wrong. I’m sorry that the victim was harmed in any way — that was obviously not my intention,” Bell said in a brief statement. “I have taken this matter very, very seriously, and again I just want to apologize to her and anyone else who may have been affected by my actions.”
Bell reportedly welcomed his newborn son amid these charges, with his wife of three years.
