Daniel Stern, the beloved actor famous for playing Marv in the Home Alone movies, has seen a misdemeanor solicitation charge dismissed in California this week, bringing a quiet but definitive end to a legal matter that briefly overshadowed his work and public image.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the charge alleging Stern “engaged or agreed to engage in prostitution” stemming from an incident at a Camarillo motel in December 2025 has been thrown out following standard legal procedures for first-time offenders. Stern, now 68, was not arrested at the time but was issued a citation.
“The defendant did what he was supposed to do,” a spokesperson for the DA’s office told Entertainment Weekly. “He completed his education class and earned a dismissal. This is our standard disposition for first-time prostitution offenses.”
Stern’s attorney, Blair Berk, expressed relief at the outcome, describing the dismissal as appropriate and long overdue. “The case was dismissed with prejudice as it should have been from the start, and we’re very pleased,” Berk said in a statement to The California Post.
Had the case gone to conviction, Stern could have faced up to six months in jail and a fine of $1,000. The legal hiccup also impacted his career: earlier this year he was recast from the ABC sitcom Do You Want Kids? after news of the charge emerged.
Outside of Hollywood, Stern has largely stepped back from acting in recent years, living on a ranch in California where he sculpts and farms. Despite the momentary media storm, the dismissal clears his record and allows him to focus on his art and personal projects.
