Daniel Stern, best known for playing the hapless burglar in the beloved Home Alone franchise, is now facing serious criminal charges, a shocking turn of events that has left longtime fans reeling.
Daniel Stern, 66, gained widespread recognition playing the bumbling burglar Marv Murchins, one half of the infamous “Wet Bandits,” alongside Joe Pesci in the 1990 holiday classic Home Alone.
The actor, once a prominent comedic figure, reprised the role of Marv in the 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, cementing his place in pop culture with physical comedy and iconic scenes that fans revisit every holiday season.
Charlie immortalized in bronze
One of the film’s most memorable moments involved a tarantula being placed on Stern’s face by Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin.
His scream, he said, was “an homage to the woman in Psycho in the shower.”
In December 2025, Stern spoke with People about returning to that moment in a different way – through art.
“I’ve been looking at myself in my studio and I’ve made myself a lot handsomer than I actually am in real life – just why not?” the City Slickers star joked about the bronze statue he created for the new owners of the Home Alone house in Illinois.
Stern was commissioned by the family to chisel a self-portrait sculpture that includes the infamous spider.
“It’s so sweet to think of it in that house – these folks love that house so much and love the movie so much,” he told the outlet. “It’ll be at the Home Alone house so that spider, whatever his name was – Charlie – is being immortalized in bronze.”
From actor to rancher
Stern and his wife Laure Mattos, who he married in 1980, operate a cattle and citrus orchard ranch in Ventura County. And when he’s not found carving bronze sculptures, he can be found hustling on the farm, offering fans a glimpse into his everyday life on social media.
Reflecting on his earlier career, Stern told People his success in the ’80s and ’90s gave him “enough money that I didn’t have to work,” adding that it also instilled in him “an obligation to take advantage of my good fortune.”
Cited and released
That quiet life was upended on Jan. 9, 2025, when Stern – whose son Henry is a member of the California State Senate – was cited at a hotel in Camarillo, California, according to TMZ.
Ventura County District Attorney spokesperson Joey Buttitta confirmed the citation to People, stating, “From what I understand, he was cited at the location and released.”
Buttitta added that the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office submitted the citation to the District Attorney’s office for review following the incident.
“The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office submitted their ticket or citation to us, and it is being reviewed by our prosecutors,” he told People at the time.
Soliciting a prostitute
But things quickly grew worse for the star of Very Bad Things.
On Jan. 12, Stern was formally charged with one misdemeanor count of soliciting prostitution. His arraignment was scheduled for Jan. 13.
In California, the punishment for soliciting prostitution ranges from jail time of up to six months or a fine of up to $1,000.
As of now, there has been no public statement from Stern or his representatives regarding the charge.
The legal process will continue to unfold in the coming weeks, and while Stern’s future remains uncertain, the unexpected turn marks a dramatic shift for a man once known for slipping on toy cars and shrieking when a tarantula was placed on his face.
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