"American Ninja Warrior" champion Drew Drechsel, 31, was arrested for committing multiple child sex crimes.
The 2019 winner of the reality TV show was charged on Tuesday for the manufacture of child pornography, enticement of a minor to travel for illicit sexual conduct as well as travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and use of interstate commerce to entice a minor, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of New Jersey announced on Tuesday.
Drechsel met the minor in 2014 at an event where contestants of "American Ninja Warrior" were in attendance, according to the complaint. They exchanged phone numbers and began texting.
In July 2015, they had sex at Drechsel's gym after his girlfriend left the property. The minor, who was 15 at the time, told her mother about the incident the following day. According to the complaint, her mother confronted Drechsel, who did not deny the encounter but said he was unaware of the alleged victim's age.
The following year Drechsel traveled to meet the minor in New Jersey. He then took her to a restaurant parking lot, where they had sex.
The minor had sex multiple times with Drechsel, until she was roughly 17-years-old. They also had video chats during which Drechsel told her to be nude and to masturbate for him, per the complaint. Video of the incident, as well as several images dating back to 2015 were recovered on an old phone that belonged to Drechsel.
In a statement to Twitter, Drechsel's lawyer, Frank J. Riccio II, said his client is "presumed innocent of the charges and that presumption will remain throughout the pendency of his case." He added that Drechsel "intends on entering a 'not guilty' plea."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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