UPDATE, 2/8/2026 at 12:00 a.m. ET:
Home Alone star Daniel Stern’s misdemeanor prostitution case has been dismissed in Ventura County, California.
A spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on Friday, February 6, that Stern, 68, took the necessary steps to have the first-time offense dropped.
“The defendant did what he was supposed to do,” a District Attorney’s Office rep said. “He completed his education class and earned a dismissal. This is our standard disposition for first-time prostitution offenses.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Twyla Atmore informed the presiding judge, Paul Baelly, in court on Friday that the charge was being dismissed because Stern completed a “diversion program.”
Stern’s attorney Blair Berk subsequently told the California Post that the actor was looking forward to putting the ordeal behind him.
“The case was dismissed with prejudice as it should have been from the start and we’re very pleased,” his lawyer said.
Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representative for comment.
Original Story Below:
Home Alone star Daniel Stern has been charged with one misdemeanor count of soliciting prostitution.
Stern, 68, was officially charged with “engaging and agreeing to engage in prostitution” in Ventura County, California, on Monday, January 12, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13.
The actor was reportedly at a hotel in Camarillo, California, on December 10, 2025, when law enforcement issued him a citation for soliciting prostitution, according to police documents obtained by TMZ on January 9. Per the report, Stern was not detained or arrested in connection with the incident.
“From what I understand, he was cited at the location and released,” attorney and spokesperson Joey Buttitta told People at the time.
Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representatives for comment.
Stern starred as infamous “wet bandit” Marv alongside Joe Pesci and Macaulay Culkin in 1990’s Home Alone and its subsequent sequel, 1992’s Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He has been married to his wife, Laure Mattos, since 1980, and the couple recently renewed their vows in a surprise ceremony during a 2019 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, They share three children: daughters Ella and Sophie and son Henry Stern, who is a California State Senator.
In October 2025, Stern made headlines when he was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical emergency. He was reportedly assessed by firefighters at his California home and eventually transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later released, according to TMZ. A rep later confirmed the Wonder Years alum was in good health.
Stern is not the first Home Alone star to face legal trouble. Devin Ratray, who portrayed Culkin’s older brother in both movies, was arrested in December 2021 after an alleged drunken altercation in an Oklahoma City hotel where he allegedly pushed, punched and pressed his hands against his ex-girlfriend’s throat and mouth. He was later charged with felony domestic assault and battery strangulation, as well as misdemeanor domestic assault and battery.
Ratray was released on a $25,000 bond and initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to avoid jail time. He ultimately pled guilty to two counts of domestic violence in February 2024. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to complete a Batterers Intervention Program, as well as to undergo a drug/alcohol assessment, according to court documents.
“I am relieved that this chapter in my life is coming to an end, but the scars and trauma will never fully heal,” a statement from Ratray’s ex-girlfriend read during court proceedings, which she did not attend. “No one should have to endure the fear and pain that I’ve experienced at the hands of someone they once cared for.”
“I want to make it clear that even one incident of domestic abuse is one too many,” she continued. “No one should ever have to endure the physical and emotional abuse that I went through. I hope that by speaking out and sharing my story, I can encourage others to seek help and speak out against domestic violence. I want to send a message that abusers will face consequences for their actions and that victims deserve to be heard and believed.”
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