‘Home Alone’ Star Daniel Stern Charged in California Prostitution Case

Daniel Stern, the actor best known for playing Marv, one-half of the “Wet Bandits” in the holiday classic Home Alone, has been charged with soliciting prostitution following an incident at a California motel, according to authorities, as reported by Fox News.

A spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Stern allegedly made the solicitation on Dec. 10 at a motel in Camarillo, California.

Prosecutors formally charged the actor on Jan. 12. His arraignment was originally scheduled for Jan. 13 but was later postponed to Feb. 6.

‘Home Alone’ star Daniel Stern officially charged with soliciting prostitution https://t.co/D7Ap5Llme1 pic.twitter.com/SH9yfaQLKs

— New York Post (@nypost) January 13, 2026

Stern, 68, rose to national prominence in the early 1990s for his role as Marv in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where he starred alongside Joe Pesci and Macaulay Culkin.

The films became staples of the Christmas movie season and cemented Stern’s place in popular culture as one of the bumbling burglars who repeatedly failed to rob the McCallister family home in Chicago.

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Beyond the Home Alone franchise, Stern appeared in several other well-known projects, including Breaking Away, City Slickers, and the television series The Wonder Years.

The face you pull when you’re busted. TMZ reporting that Daniel Stern has been cited for soliciting prostitution ️ pic.twitter.com/JmGqexsIiw

— TheKoala (@thekoala) January 10, 2026

During the height of his career in the 1980s and 1990s, Stern said his success provided him with financial security that allowed him to step back from the entertainment industry.

He previously explained that he made “enough money that I didn’t have to work” during that period and believed he had “an obligation to take advantage of [his] good fortune.”

Stern also acknowledged that his career included moments where decisions nearly cost him major opportunities.

“I almost blew it a couple times,” Stern told the Los Angeles Times when reflecting on certain career moves.

One of those moments involved his signature role in Home Alone. Stern said he initially backed out of the deal due to disagreements in the contract, leading producers to briefly recast the role.

After several days of rehearsals, however, the production urged him to return, allowing him to reprise the character that would later define his career.

In later years, Stern left Hollywood to pursue a quieter lifestyle. He moved with his wife to a farm in Ventura, where he has tended cattle and grown produce, according to People magazine.

His departure from the film industry marked a shift away from acting and toward a more private, rural life.

Stern has occasionally shared glimpses of that lifestyle with the public. In December 2024, he posted videos on TikTok showing his daily routine on the farm.

“Hello, as you will come to discover, I live on a farm, and we grow tangerines here,” Stern said in one video.

“I juice them up and then freeze them and give them away to my friends,” he added, before showing viewers his work station.

The case remains pending as Stern is expected to be arraigned in February.

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