Drake Bell is 'safe' after former Nickelodeon star was reported ‘missing and endangered’
The 'Drake & Josh' actor has been in contact with police
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Nickelodeon actor Drake Bell, is no longer missing, the Daytona Beach Police department has confirmed.
The actor, 36, was previously labeled as "missing and endangered" by police.
"At this time we can confirm law enforcement officials are in contact and Mr. Bell is safe," a police spokesperson told Fox 35 News.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a missing person's post on its official Facebook page, the Daytona Beach Police Department reported earlier this morning that Bell, whose real name is Jared, was last seen driving his 2022 gray BMW in the area of Mainland High School before 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Drake Bell is no longer considered "missing and endangered," according to the Daytona Beach Florida Police Department in Florida. (Michael Tran)
A representative for Bell's attorney told Fox News Digital at the time he has "no comment at this time."
Included in the post was a photograph of Bell wearing black framed glasses and a baseball cap.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The department left an additional comment on the post saying, "For those asking, this is a legitimate post from the Daytona Beach Police Department."
It was initially reported that Bell was last seen near the Mainland High School in his 2022 gray BMW. (Daytona Beach Police Department Facebook)
Bell has faced a litany of run-ins with the law, including an arrest for driving under the influence in 2016, and most recently pleading guilty to two charges involving a minor in Ohio in 2021. The child star was charged with one count of felony attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
Bell was sentenced to two years' probation, as well as 200 hours of community service in California. Additionally, he cannot have any communication with the victim.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bell pleaded guilty in 2021 to one felony and one misdemeanor charge. (Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office via AP)
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After probation, the judge said Bell's sex offender status would be reviewed.
Fox 8 reported Bell allegedly engaged in an inappropriate chat with a victim that "at times, was sexual in nature."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After pleading guilty, Bell acknowledged the "mistakes" he had made in an Instagram video, but claimed some of the rumors about him were not true.
"A lot of the news that you've been hearing, most of the news that you've heard recently, is entirely false and wrong, and I feel that you deserve and I owe you an explanation," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bell alleges it was "reckless and irresponsible text messages" exchanged with a fan for which he took a plea deal.
In 2020, Bell was accused of verbal and physical abuse by his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Lingafelt.
In a since-deleted TikTok video, Lingafelt alleged that the abuse began when she moved in with the actor at 16. They were in a relationship from August 2006 to February 2009.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"First off I'd like to start out by saying, I don't really care if anyone believes me, as this is my story and my life, and something that I went through. It wasn't until recently that I actually realized that abuse isn't something that all women have to go through.… I moved in with him, I was singing. It wasn't until about a year when the verbal abuse started," she said.
Bell's ex-girlfriend of three years, Melissa Lingafelt, accused the actor of verbal and physical abuse in a since-deleted TikTok. (Chris Polk/FilmMagic)
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Lingafelt described the verbal abuse as "the worst" someone could "ever imagine."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It then turned into physical: hitting, throwing, everything," she said. "At the pinnacle of it, he drug [sic] me down the stairs of our house in Los Feliz. My face hit every step on the way down. I have photos of this. I don't even want to get into the underage girls thing."
Bell said via a representative to Variety, "I never abused my ex-girlfriend or did so many of the other things Melissa falsely claimed on her TikTok video. As our relationship ended – more than a decade ago – we, unfortunately, both called each other terrible names, as often happens when couples are breaking up. But that is it. Clearly, Melissa still felt close enough to me just last year that she was comfortable reaching out to ask me to provide her with financial support during a tough time (which I did). I do not know if today’s behavior is some kind of misguided quest for more money or attention. But I cannot and will not allow these offensive and defamatory allegations to go unchallenged and I am reviewing my legal options."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bell has been married to Janet Von Schmeling since 2018. They have one son together.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.