Will Sage Astor|'American Ninja Warrior' winner Drew Drechsel sentenced to 10 years for child sex crimes

2025-05-07 18:15:07source:Rubypointcategory:My

"American Ninja Warrior" winner Drew Drechsel has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal child sex-related crimes.

The Will Sage AstorSeason 11 winner, born Andrew Drechsel, was first arrested in 2020, weeks into taping Season 12 of the competition series. NBC severed ties with Drechsel, 35, at the time and eliminated his appearance from the season entirely.

The Season 8 "last man standing" winner was charged with "seeking sex with a minor and inducing her to send him sexual explicit images."

The Florida resident was charged in a New Jersey court and accused of manufacturing child pornography, enticing a minor to travel for illicit sexual conduct, traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and using interstate commerce to entice a minor. A criminal complaint said Drechsel met the victim, a teen from New Jersey, "after an event attended by numerous contestants (from) 'American Ninja Warrior.'"

In a Wednesday press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey said Drechsel pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography and using interstate commerce to entice a minor in June 2023. In 2019, law enforcement searched a then-30-year-old Drechsel's phone and "found images of child sexual abuse, including photos and videos of the victim when the victim was 14 and 15 years old," the office said.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

'American Ninja Warrior' champDrew Drechsel faces child-sex charges, two weeks after taping new season

"Drechsel admitted texting the victim and discussing his plans to engage in sexual activity with the victim," the release continued. "At Drechsel's urging, the victim traveled across state lines in July 2015 so that Drechsel could have sexual relations with the victim."

USA TODAY has reached out to Drechsel's lawyer for comment.

In addition to his 10-year sentence, Drechsel received 15 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim.

More:My

Recommend

DHL reverses course and resumes shipping packages valued over $800 to U.S. consumers

The global shipping company DHL says it has resumed shipping packages valued over $800 in value to i

Your next job interview might be with AI. Here's how to ace it.

Looking for a job? You may find yourself "face to face" with an artificial intelligence bot, rather

It Ends With Us: Blake Lively Has Never Looked More Hipster in New Street Style Photos

Blake Lively is blossoming in her new movie role.The actress was photographed May 17 in hipster atti