Drake Bell explains his decision to plead guilty in child endangerment case
Drake Bell Describes How Brian Peck Got Him Alone
Bell recounted how Peck deliberately created a divide between him and his father, Joe Bell, who was also featured in the ID series supporting his son’s account. This manipulation allowed Peck to spend more time with the young actor, who had a recurring role on “The Amanda Show” before landing his own sitcom, “Drake & Josh,” in 2004.
Bell explained how Peck would take him to auditions and then insist he stay over, claiming it was too late to drive him home. One night, Bell woke up on the couch where he usually slept and discovered Peck sexually assaulting him.
Feeling frozen and shocked, Bell didn’t know how to react in the moment. Despite Peck’s apologies, the abuse continued, and Bell kept silent, fearing the end of his career if he spoke up.
After confiding in his mother, Bell contacted the police, who had him provide a detailed account of the abuse and orchestrated a phone call with Peck to elicit a confession. Peck ultimately admitted to the crimes and was arrested on August 20, 2003.