Fat Joe Panel & Discussion w/ VP Harris ... Cannabis, Healthcare, Criminal Justice and More

Fat Joe's rubbing elbows with some of the top politicians in the country ... specifically Vice President Kamala Harris -- and he's sharing his solutions for some of the country's greatest issues, too.

The outspoken rapper met up with the VP on Friday afternoon and led a panel regarding criminal justice reform featuring Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and White House Director of the Office of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin.

The convo -- which featured a few other prominent criminal justice advocates and three recipients of marijuana-related pardons -- lasted about an hour and featured lots of personal anecdotes from those pardoned.

We're told Fat Joe expressed his gratitude for how his journey through hip hop had landed him in a close relationship with the vice president -- who he apparently met through his healthcare reform group Power To The Patients.

BTW ... we're told Joe actually sat down for a private conversation with Kamala where the two talked about healthcare price transparency and other issues close to Joe's heart.

Harris isn't the only exec who Joe's spoken to in recent days ... the Bronx-bred rapper also caught up with President Joe Biden himself -- following the Prez's SOTU address, which took some shots at Donald Trump.

Sources told us members of both parties wanted a piece of Fat Joe after he dapped up Biden ... with reps on both sides of the aisle rushing to the man for an autograph.

Fat Joe's been on the advocacy grind for a while now ... and we even talked to him about Power to the Patients on "TMZ Live" back in January.

TOGETHER FOR CHANGE
TMZ.com

It seems Joe's now sharing his opinion on all types of issues it seems ... and hey, maybe Kamala could use a running mate in 2028? 👀

ACTOR KING BACH L.A. HOME BURGLARIZED!!! $200K Cash & Bling Stolen

Actor and comedian King Bach is the latest celeb to fall victim in a rash of home burglaries in L.A., and this time the crooks scored quite the haul ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us a burglary crew hit up KB's home in January ... and took off with $200K worth of cash and jewelry!

Cops launched an investigation, and ended up busting a burglary crew they believe is responsible for a series of other burglaries around town. Multiple people were charged with felonies, but unfortunately, Bach hasn't gotten back his jewelry.

We're told that police don't believe the actor was the prime target during the crime spree. Detectives are continuing their investigation to see if more hits are linked to this crew.

Luckily, cops say KB -- whose real name is Andrew Byron Bachelor -- wasn't at home at the time of the burglary, otherwise, that could've been a whole different ball game.

These Hollywood heists don't seem to be slowing down ... as we've previously reported, IG model Abigail Ratchford and OnlyFans model Corinna Kopf were also hit by bandits.

Kanye West $1M of YEEZY GAP Clothing Allegedly Stolen ... Working to Get It Back

Kanye West's team claims more than $1 million worth of clothing has been stolen from his L.A. warehouse ... and now there's a dispute about whether or not he'll ever get it back.

Ye's chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, tells TMZ ... people in the rapper's camp noticed a massive amount of Yeezy GAP clothes in Ye's warehouse went missing a couple days ago -- approximately 60,000 pieces of clothing worth roughly $1.2 mil.

Yiannopoulos said the team had no clue where the clothes went, but then they noticed a Kanye fan account advertising an event Friday in L.A. ... where buyers could purchase a bunch of Yeezy GAP apparel at $20 a pop.

Law enforcement sources tell us they got a call about the alleged stolen property, and sent officers and detectives to the Yeezy sale.

We're told the people in charge of the event told cops they had receipts for the clothing, but cops say they couldn't show ALL the clothing was backed up by receipts.

Nevertheless, we're told cops were unable to seize the merch given the conflicting stories, and because Ye had not filed a police report.

Regardless, Milo insists all of the clothing is, in fact, stolen ... claiming Ye's team has no record of the sale, and would never let someone purchase clothing in bulk. Moving forward, Milo says Ye's camp will do whatever is necessary to retrieve the clothing, including filing a police report ... and they've now fired off a cease and desist letter to the organizer of Friday's sale.

In the document, Ye's team accuses them of forging records to make police believe they legally obtained the Yeezy goods.

What's more ... Milo believes his team has identified one of the thieves involved, and says they'll cooperate with cops to hand over any leads.

Subway Brawl Man Shot in Head with His Own Gun ... Altercation Caught on Video

TERRIFYING FIGHT

A NYC subway rider is in critical condition after getting shot in the head at the end of a brutal brawl where he was also stabbed ... and the whole thing was recorded by an onlooker.

This went down Thursday in Brooklyn, where cops say 2 men got into a fight while they were both riding a subway car -- their showdown alarmed nearby commuters, some of whom started shooting video as it got physical.

Police say they were told the man who was shot actually instigated things -- and that seems to be confirmed by the video -- as he squared off with the other guy.

COPS ON THE SCENE

While the 2 men were punching and wrestling each other, a woman enters the fray and apparently stabs one of them in the back -- it appears she was with the other combatant. l

The stabbing victim, who was visibly bleeding, started screaming and asking if she'd stabbed him .. and then fumbles in his jacket pocket for a gun.

The man he was originally fighting ran over and tried to shield his woman ... as the gun-wielding man corners them.

At that point, everyone else in the subway car started running in the opposite direction ... desperately trying to get off, because they've seen the gun. It was a tense and terrifying scene ... and as they were cowering 4 gunshots go off.

Struggling To Stay Safe

Someone captured the aftermath of this -- where you can see cops on the scene attending to the man who was shot ... and as you can see it's the man who originally pulled out the gun.

The other man was eventually cuffed and led away, but it's unclear if he's been charged yet.

Rushed Out
X/@OwenAnderson14

NYC officials say it appears the man who was detained wrestled the gun away and fired upon the other man -- no word on whether this will be determined to be self-defense. The man who was shot was eventually rushed away by paramedics, and he's hospitalized in critical condition.

MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTER FATHER GUILTY OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER Weeks After Wife's Verdict

The father of Michigan high school shooter Ethan Crumbley, has been found guilty on all 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter ... just weeks after his wife Jennifer saw the same verdict.

FOUND GUILTY
FOX 2 Detroit

The jury reached the decision for James Crumbley Thursday after 1 day of deliberations. His sentencing is scheduled for April 9, the same date as his wife.

With this verdict, Crumbley was found to be negligent for disregarding warning signs exhibited by his son that could have potentially prevented the devastating event. Prosecutors said he even purchased a gun for his son just days before he used it to open fire at Oxford High School in the Detroit suburb of Oxford Township, MI, in November 2021, killing 4 students.

The verdict comes a few weeks after his wife Jennifer's conviction -- which marked an historic moment, as it's unprecedented for a parent to be criminally charged in connection with their child's involvement in a mass shooting.

GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS
CNN

Jennifer's testimony during her trial had shed light on the role she says her husband, James, played in the tragic events ... saying he had purchased the gun their son used in the shooting and was the one responsible for hiding it.

She also testified she was aware her son was struggling but had no inkling he was capable of carrying out a mass shooting ... saying if she had known, she'd done the whole thing differently.

17-year-old Ethan was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole back in December.

12/08/23
LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
CNN

Ethan told the court he was "a really bad person" before he was handed his hefty sentence ... adding, "I have done terrible things that no one should ever do."

BRIAN PECK CARTAS DE MARSDEN, KILLAM & THICKE Apoyando al abusador de Drake Bell

El abusador de Drake Bell -Brian Peck- tuvo un ejército de apoyo de parte de las celebridades durante su sentencia de 2004, y tenemos un montón de cartas que todos escribieron, incluyendo las de James Marsden, Taran Killam y Alan Thicke, quien habló elogiosamente sobre el tipo.

TMZ ha obtenido un total de 41 cartas escritas al juez en el caso penal de Peck, y mientras había decenas de tipos de Hollywood prestando sus voces en apoyo del pederasta condenado -todos defendiendo su carácter y pidiendo clemencia- estos tres son los nombres más grandes.

La carta de Marsden es la más larga, y detalla su extensa historia personal y amistad con Peck, diciendo que lo conocía desde hace 14 años (ten en cuenta que escribió esto en 2004, por lo que aparentemente se remontan a mucho tiempo atrás) y en general respondiendo por su carácter.

Escribe: "Me llamo James Marsden, y estoy muy orgulloso de decir que soy amigo íntimo de Brian Peck desde hace unos 14 años. Soy originario de Oklahoma y conocí a Brian a través de un amigo actor. Brian creyó en mi talento como actor y alentó mi decisión de mudarme a Los Ángeles y perseguir este sueño que tenía".

Marsden continúa diciendo que él y Brian se mantuvieron cerca los últimos años, diciendo que Brian fue un mentor y lo entrenó -todo de forma gratuita- y que formaron un vínculo muy estrecho, con Brian sirviendo como un modelo a seguir y la inculcación de rasgos de carácter íntegro.

Marsden dice que "no podía respirar" cuando los cargos cayeron. Él dice que vivió en su casa durante meses y compartieron habitaciones de hotel, y dice que nunca se sintió incómodo o comprometido estando cerca.

Y termina escribiendo: "Brian es una buena persona con un miedo y un respeto muy sanos por la ley, y les aseguro que lo que Brian ha pasado en el último año es el sufrimiento de cien hombres. No quiero victimizar a Brian, ni él lo desearía nunca, pero sí me siento obligado a arrojar luz sobre el hecho de que él ha aprendido la lección".

Taran -que trabajó en "The Amanda Show" y que también conocía muy bien a Brian- fue igualmente elogioso en su propia carta de apoyo al juez que preside el caso, llamándolo su "compañero de trabajo y amigo" y diciendo que no es alguien que deba estar en la cárcel.

Escribe: "Cuando me enteré de la detención de Brian me sorprendí mucho. Brian es la última persona que esperaría que fuera acusada de actividades delictivas. Lo primero que pensé fue 'esto es un error'. Sé que muchos de nuestros amigos comunes tuvieron pensamientos similares. Está demasiado fuera de lugar".

Por último, está el difunto Thicke, cuya carta era mucho más corta, y apoya a Brian comentando sus días juntos en "Growing Pains", un período en el que Alan dice que Brian era un "mentor altamente profesional y nutritivo de los jóvenes en nuestro set de televisión". Thicke dice que Brian nunca fue inapropiado.

Hay docenas de otras cartas de personas que fueron a batear a favor de Brian, incluyendo a las estrellas de "Boy Meets World" -Will Friedle y Rider Strong-, la estrella de "Growing Pains" -Joanna Kerns-, y los directores de "Suite Life" -Rich y Beth Correll-, show en el que Brian trabajó brevemente después de la condena.

Usted puede ver sus cartas aquí en su totalidad también ... pero hay aún más, presentada por actores como Ron Meléndez, James Marshall, Kimmy Robertson y otros actores del mundo del espectáculo.

Como hemos informado, Drake se establece para detallar exactamente lo que dice Brian le hizo antes de que él tuviera su propio show en Nickelodeon en el nuevo documental "Quiet on Set". "Quiet on Set" se estrena durante 2 noches en ID, a partir de las 9 PM el 17 y 18 de marzo.

Nos hemos puesto en contacto con los representantes de Marsden y Killam, pero hasta ahora, no hay respuesta.

Brian Peck Marsden, Killam & Thicke's Letters ... Praise Drake Bell's Abuser

Drake Bell's abuser, Brian Peck, had an army of A-list support behind him during his 2004 sentencing -- and we got a hold of the letters they all wrote, including ones from James Marsden, Taran Killam and Alan Thicke ... who spoke glowingly about the guy.

TMZ has obtained a total of 41 letters written to the judge in Peck's criminal case, and while there were scores of Hollywood types lending their voices in support of the convicted child molester -- all defending his character and asking for leniency -- these 3 are the biggest names.

Marsden's letter is the longest, and he details his extensive personal history and friendship with Peck, saying he'd known him for 14 years (mind you, he wrote this in '04, so they go way back apparently) and generally vouching for his character.

JM writes, "My name is James Marsden and i am very proud to say that i've been a close friend of Brian Peck's for about 14 years now. I am from Oklahoma originally and i met Brian through an actor friend ... Brian believed in my talent as an actor and encouraged my decision to move to Los Angeles and pursue this dream i had."

Marsden goes on to say he and Brian remained close over the years, saying BP mentored and coached him -- all free of charge -- and that they formed a very close bond, with Brian serving as a role model and instilling upstanding character traits.

Marsden says based on what he knows about Brian, he "couldn't breathe" when the charges came down. He says he had lived at his house for months and had shared hotel rooms with Brian -- and he says he never felt uncomfortable or compromised being around him.

He finishes by writing, "Brian is a good person with a very healthy fear and respect for the law and, i assure you, what Brian has been through in the last year is the suffering of a hundred men. I don't want to victimize Brian, nor would he ever wish that, but i do feel compelled to shed light on the fact that (he) has learned his lesson."

Taran -- who worked on the "The Amanda Show" and who also knew Brian very well -- was equally praising in his own letter of support to the judge presiding over the case, calling him his "co-worker, my friend" and saying he's not someone who belongs in jail.

TK writes, "When I found out about Brian being arrested I was shocked. Brian is the last person I would expect to be charged of criminal activities. My first thought was 'this is a mistake.' I know many of our mutual friends had similar thoughts. It is too out of character."

Finally, there's the late Thicke ... whose letter was much shorter but just as supportive of Brian, commenting on their days together on 'Growing Pains,' a period in which Alan says Brian was a "highly professional and nurturing mentor of the young people on our television set." Thicke says BP was never inappropriate.

There are dozens of other letters by people who went to bat for Brian -- including "Boy Meets World" stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong, "Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns and 'Suite Life' directors Rich and Beth Correll ... whose show Brian worked on briefly, post-conviction.

You can see their letters here in full too ... but there are even more, filed by actors like Ron Melendez, James Marshall, Kimmy Robertson and other showbiz players.

As we reported ... Drake is set to detail exactly what he says Brian did to him before he got his own show on Nickelodeon on the new documentary 'Quiet on Set.' "Quiet on Set' premieres across 2 nights on ID, starting at 9 PM on March 17 and 18.

We've reached out to reps for Marsden and Killam ... so far, no word back.

Pierce Brosnan Se declara culpable de hacer senderismo ilegal... Debe pagar $1.500

Pierce Brosnan acaba de declararse culpable en el caso de senderismo ilegal en Idaho, después de haber ingresado una declaración de no culpabilidad hace apenas dos meses.

De acuerdo con documentos judiciales obtenidos por TMZ, Pierce se declaró culpable de uno de los dos cargos de senderismo ilegales presentados en su contra después de que supuestamente se metiera en una delicada fuente termal en el Parque Nacional de Yellowstone en noviembre de 2023.

A cambio, el otro cargo fue desestimado. La declaración de culpabilidad de Brosnan le costará alrededor de $1,540 en multas y otros costos de la corte.

Recuerden, el agente 007 publicó un par de fotos en una zona que parecía estar fuera de los límites del parque, áreas que están cerradas a los turistas, tanto por la seguridad de los manantiales como de los excursionistas.

Esas fotos fueron recogidas por TouronsOfYellowstone, una página de IG que señala a los turistas/ atorrantes que rompen las reglas de senderismo en el hermoso parque nacional.

Brosnan se enfrentaba a una multa de hasta 5.000 dólares e incluso seis meses de cárcel si era declarado culpable. En lugar de eso, parece que la estrella decidió poner todo este asunto legal a descansar.

Pierce Brosnan Pleads Guilty in Yellowstone Case ... Ordered to Pay $1,500

Pierce Brosnan just took a plea deal in his hot springs hiking case out in Idaho ... this after initially entering a not-guilty plea just two months ago.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ ... Pierce pled guilty to one of two charges brought against him -- namely, one count of foot travel in all thermal areas and within Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails -- after he allegedly wandered into a delicate hot spring at Yellowstone National Park in November 2023.

In exchange, the other charge was dismissed. Brosnan's guilty plea lands him with about $1,540 in fines and other court costs.

Remember ... 007 appeared to post a couple pics from an off-limits area in the park -- areas that are closed to tourists for both the safety of the springs and the safety of hikers.

Those pics got picked up by TouronsOfYellowstone -- an IG page that highlights the tourists/morons who break hiking rules in the gorgeous national park.

Brosnan was facing a fine of up to $5,000 or even six months jail time if he was found guilty ... instead, it seems like the star's putting this legal issue to rest.

UFC's Chito Vera Someone Broke Into My Home ... Legal Docs, Watches Stolen

UFC star Marlon "Chito" Vera says his personal belongings were jacked from his home while he was in Miami for his title fight against Sean O'Malley ... and now he's on the hunt for the people responsible.

The Ecuadorian fighter went all five rounds with Suga at the Keseya Center on Saturday ... ultimately losing via unanimous decision.

But, it isn't the L in the Octagon that's got him pissed now ... 'cause he shared an image of his home forcefully broken into -- and he's vowing to find the culprits.

Vera provided more information on the matter on Wednesday ... saying he's working with authorities in hopes of getting to the bottom of it.

"Came back home to fill police reports and try to get all my legal documents & watches inside the safe that some piece of s*** stole from my house," Vera said. "First stop Italian consulate thanks for take care of us."

Despite the crappy situation, Vera added he knows everything will be okay ... and proceeded to send a message to his opponent.

"Who braid your hair @SugaSeanMMA you where grease to the bone I wonder how much gel they use ?" ... to which Sean replied, "Send pic of your face."

Sean did feel bad for Vera's home situation, though ... commenting his disapproval after the news broke.

"That's f***ed."

Drake Detalla el abuso... Celebridades escribieron cartas de apoyo a Brian Peck

Drake Bell finalmente está contando su historia sobre cómo Brian Peck abusó de él cuando era un adolescente, un periodo durante el cual las celebridades salieron a apoyar a Peck.

El nuevo documental de ID "Quiet on Set" levantó su embargo a los medios de comunicación, y las personas que lo han visto, incluidos nosotros, están detallando lo que Drake está diciendo exactamente aquí y es bastante difícil de ver.

Drake cuenta paso a paso todo lo que sucedió entre él y su ex entrenador de diálogo, diciendo que Brian indujo una grieta entre él y su padre en ese entonces, quien estaba trabajando como gerente de Drake y al parecer sospechaba de Brian.

En términos de cómo comenzó el abuso, Drake dice que Brian lo aisló mucho mientras trabajaba para Nickelodeon, y que a menudo terminaba en su casa después de las audiciones y que se quedó a dormir muchas veces allí. Un día, después de quedarse dormido en su sofá, Drake dice que se despertó y encontró a Brian abusando de él.

A partir de ahí, Drake dice que las cosas empeoraron y los abusos se volvieron más repetitivos. Dice que se sintió atrapado por este oscuro secreto. Finalmente, se derrumbó y le confesó todo a su madre. Cuando ella se enteró, involucraron a la policía y Drake les contó todo. También dice que consiguió que Brian confesara a la policía en una llamada telefónica grabada.

Finalmente, Brian fue detenido por varios cargos, pero se declaró no culpable de solo dos: realizar un acto lascivo con un adolescente de 14 o 15 años de edad y tener sexo oral con un menor de 16 años.

Una de las revelaciones más sorprendentes del documental es que cuando Brian estaba a punto de ser condenado, un montón de famosos y amigos aparecieron en la corte en su nombre, y no solo eso, varias estrellas escribieron cartas de apoyo para Brian Peck, incluyendo algunos grandes nombres.

USado y abusado
Pod Meets World

James Marsden escribió una, al igual que Taran Killam, por no hablar de las estrellas de "Boy Meets World", Rider Strong y Will Friedle, quienes ya han expresado su pesar por todo esto en las últimas semanas.

La estrella de "Growing Pains" Joanna Kerns también escribió una carta para Brian, pero se presentó en el documental para decir que solo lo hizo sobre información errónea. El fallecido Alan Thicke también escribió una carta de apoyo, así como Rich y Beth Correll, directores de "Suite Life of Zach & Cody".

Peck trabajó brevemente en "Suite Life" después de cumplir una condena de 16 meses tras las rejas. Contactamos a Marsden y Killam, pero hasta ahora no hemos tenido respuesta.

"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" se estrena en dos noches en ID, de 21:00 a 23:00 ET/PT, los días 17 y 18 de marzo.

Drake Bell Details Molestation ... Celebs Wrote Support Letters for Brian Peck

Drake Bell is finally telling his story on how Brian Peck molested him as a teen -- detailing the case at the time ... a period during which celebs came forward to support his abuser.

The new ID doc 'Quiet on Set' had its media embargo lifted, and people who've seen an early screener -- including us -- are detailing what exactly Drake says here ... and it's pretty hard to watch.

Drake gives the blow-by-blow of what happened between him and his former dialogue coach -- saying Brian drove a wedge between him and his father back then, who was working as Drake's manager ... and who was apparently suspicious of Brian.

In terms of how the abuse started, Drake says Brian isolated him a lot while working on Nickelodeon shows -- and he'd often end up hanging out with Brian outside of the set including at Brian's home, and had spent the night there many times. One morning after sleeping on his couch, Drake says he woke up to find Brian sexually assaulting him.

From there, Drake says things got worse ... and the abuse became more repetitive -- and he says he felt trapped by a dark secret. Eventually, he broke down and confessed to his mom. Once his mother became aware, they got cops involved -- and Drake says he told them everything. He also claims he got Brian to confess to the police on a recorded phone call.

Eventually, Brian was arrested on multiple counts ... but he pled no contest to just two -- performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old and oral copulation with a minor under 16.

One of the more startling revelations in the doc is that as Brian was set to be sentenced, he had a crap ton of famous people and friends show up on his behalf in court ... and not just that, but several stars had written character letters on his behalf, including some big names.

USED AND ABUSED
Pod Meets World

James Marsden wrote one, as did Taran Killam ... not to mention "Boy Meets World" stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle -- who've already expressed regret over this in recent weeks.

"Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns also wrote a letter for Brian, but came forward in the doc to say she only did so based on misinformation. The late Alan Thicke also wrote a letter in support ... and so did "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" directors Rich and Beth Correll.

Peck briefly went on to work on the 'Suite Life' after he served his 16-month prison sentence post-conviction. We've reached out to Marsden, Killam and the Corrells ... no word back yet.

"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" premieres across two nights on ID from 9 PM to 11 PM ET/PT on March 17 and March 18.

TACO BELLS EN OAKLAND SOLO TENDRÁN "SERVICIO PARA LLEVAR" Preocupación por aumento de la delincuencia

El aumento de la delincuencia en Oakland ha dejado a Taco Bell en una situación precaria, ya que han tenido que elegir entre cerrar sus comedores o arriesgar la seguridad de sus empleados... y varios han optado por lo primero.

Al menos cuatro locales de Taco Bell en la ciudad de la Bahía han limitado sus servicios solo por razones seguridad.

La compañía afirmó que la seguridad es su máxima prioridad... Señalando que se han tomado medidas de protección adicionales en medio del aumento de la delincuencia en la ciudad.

Además de cerrar los comedores, el propietario de la franquicia local ha contratado guardias de seguridad y se ha reunido con las fuerzas del orden. Se ha informado de otro local que ha mantenido una política de solo pagar con tarjeta para no tener efectivo y así disuadir a los ladrones.

Esta actualización se produce después de que KPIX-TV informó de que un Taco Bell había sido robado cuatro veces en el transcurso de los últimos cuatro meses. El restaurante se quedó con ventanas cubiertas de madera contrachapada después de que los culpables condujeron una camioneta a través del edificio para robar una caja fuerte.

A Taco Bell le va un poco mejor que a In-N-Out. Recordemos que la cadena de hamburguesas populares tuvo que cerrar su única ubicación Oakland debido a la delincuencia en la zona.

Del mismo modo, un Denny's, que había operado en la zona durante 54 años, cerró en medio de crecientes preocupaciones de seguridad. Incluso Raising Cane's cerró un local cerca del aeropuerto el año pasado.

En cuanto a lo que se está haciendo para prevenir la creciente criminalidad, el gobernador del estado, Gavin Newsom, se informa que está tratando de tomar medidas enérgicas contra la delincuencia. Al parecer, envió más de un centenar de agentes de la patrulla de carreteras para ayudar a controlar la oleada de mal comportamiento en Oakland y en otros lugares.

No es una crítica elogiosa, ni mucho menos.

Taco Bells in Oakland Move to Drive-Thru Only ... Rising Crime Concerns

Rising crime in Oakland has left Taco Bell in a precarious situation -- close their indoor dining rooms, or risk their employees' security ... and several TBs chose the former.

At least four Taco Bell locations in the Bay Area city have moved to a drive-thru-only model in the name of safety.

The company assured customers that safety is their top priority ... noting that additional protection methods have been taken amid the city's rising crime.

In addition to closing dining rooms, the local franchise owner has hired security guards and met with law enforcement. It's reported that another location -- which has kept its dining room open -- has gone cashless to deter robbers.

This update comes after KPIX-TV reported that one Taco Bell had been robbed four times over the course of the last four months. The restaurant was left with plywood-covered windows after the culprits drove a pickup truck through the building to steal a safe.

Taco Bell is faring a bit better than In-N-Out. Remember, the popular burger chain is set to close its only Oakland location over crime in the area.

Similarly, a Denny's -- which had operated in the area for 54 years -- shut down amid rising safety concerns. Even Raising Cane's shuttered one location near the airport last year.

As for what's being done to prevent the growing criminality ... the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, is reportedly trying to crack down on crime. He apparently sent over a hundred highway patrol officers to help control the surge of bad behavior in Oakland and elsewhere.

Not a glowing review, by any stretch.

Drake Bell Alleged Abuser Seen for First Time Since Documentary Claims

Drake Bell's alleged abuser, Brian Peck, was seen for the first time in public since an explosive documentary trailer suggested he'll be accused of molesting the ex-child star.

Brian -- who worked as Drake's dialogue coach on "Drake & Josh" in the early '00s, and who's worked on countless children's shows through the years -- surfaced this week in L.A. as he tried covering up from the rain, using a blue puffer jacket while exiting a vehicle.

The showbiz veteran kept the jacket over his head as he made his way inside his home. Looks like he wanted to make it inside pretty quickly -- as he carried his keys in his mouth and darted into the house.

This would mark the first sighting of the guy since Drake revealed he'll tell his story on the ID doc 'Quiet on Set' ... in which he's expected to claim he was a victim in Peck's criminal case from 2004, when he was convicted of performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old and oral copulation with a minor under 16.

Unclear if Drake will allege both of these counts pertained to him ... or if someone else was in the mix. In any case -- this will be the first time Drake has spoken about this publicly.

Brian was sentenced to 16 months in prison and had to register as a sex offender. He's continued to work in Hollywood since that whole ordeal ... with a crap ton of credits under his name post-2004, including recognizable shows and movies.

Drake isn't the only former child star to speak out against Brian ... "Boy Meets World" alum Maitland Ward even told TMZ in February that she was always suspicious of him when he worked on her show, which also starred Rider Strong and Will Friedle.

Rider and Will acknowledged their relationship with Brian was odd -- sharing that they previously came to his defense because they believed his story about falling victim to "jail bait." Worth noting, they never alleged he'd done anything inappropriate with them.

It'll be interesting to see who else speaks, and what else might be said about Brian. He hasn't addressed all the buzz himself ... we've tried reaching out to him without any luck.

Tim Tebow Testifies On Child Sex Abuse Crisis ... On Capitol Hill in D.C.

Tim Tebow spent Wednesday morning fighting for victims of child sex abuse ... taking on the global epidemic while delivering an impassioned and emotional speech in front of the House Judiciary Subcommittee.

The 36-year-old Heisman Trophy winner, who heads the Tim Tebow Foundation, was part of a larger panel at the “Voice for the Voiceless” hearing ... and opened up his statement with a quick description of his organization, followed by an ice-breaking joke about his sports career.

"[The Tim Tebow Foundation] exists to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. To sum it up, we strive to fight for people who can't fight for themselves," Tim told the subcommittee members.

"Some of you may know me from sports. but honestly, more of you probably know me from getting cut from a bunch of sports teams," Tebow joked.

But, things quickly got serious as the 2x National Championship-winning quarterback passionately spoke about the global epidemic -- the tens of thousands of unidentified children who are the victims of sexual abuse -- while calling on lawmakers to pass a bill intended to put together a rescue team for the kids.

"This bill really has one goal. To build a rescue team, because there's so many front-line warriors and heroes, but there's just not enough. And we need to support them, and we need more of them, to get to these 50,000 boys and girls."

Tebow continued, explaining the goal of the bill is to build a "rescue team" that is of adequate size as far as manpower, as well as the training and technology to help.

The most emotional part of the speech came when Tim read a letter written by a young girl while she was being held captive, raped nearly nightly for 7 years, where she begged for help.

As you'd expect, Tebow had trouble keeping it together while reading the excerpt.

TT was eager to provide his testimony ... as he explained Wednesday morning shortly after reaching Capitol Hill.

"So grateful for the chance to testify this morning before the House Judiciary Committee, meet, and talk with representatives on both sides of the aisle on behalf of some of the most vulnerable people — children who are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation," the signal caller wrote on X.

"Identifying and rescuing these children is so much more than policy. Policy is important, but our focus has to stay on people. They deserve our best because God set the example and gave His very best, His son Jesus. 🙏"

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