Home Alone star Daniel Stern charged after allegedly trying to hire sex worker

Home Alone star Daniel Stern has been charged after a prostitution bust in California.

Ventura County District Attorney spokesperson Joey Buttitta told People initially that the actor had been cited and then released after allegedly trying to hire a sex worker at a motel in Camarillo.

He later confirmed Stern had been charged on January 12 with soliciting prostitution and was due to appear in court on January 13 local time.

In California, soliciting a prostitute is a misdemeanour, with those found guilty facing up to six months in jail or a $1000 ($1500) fine.

Stern, 68, is best known for playing “Wet Bandit” Merv Murchins in 1990 Christmas classic Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, alongside Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci.

He also starred in comedy hits City Slickers and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold and was the adult voice of Kevin in The Wonder Years.

Stern retired from acting decades ago, telling People he had made enough money in the ‘80s and ‘90s “that I didn’t have to work” and had an obligation to ”take advantage of my good fortune.”

He now lives on a farm in Ventura with his wife, where he sculpts and runs cattle and grows citrus trees.

Stern recently told People that he had been hired by the owners of the Chicago house made famous in Home Alone movies to make a replica of himself and the tarantula that was put on his face by Culkin’s character, Kevin, in the movie.

“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?,” he told the outlet.

“I’m going to ship it but they might have like an unveiling or something.”