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Andrew ‘Drew’ Drechsel, who won Season 11 of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior in 2019, has been sentenced to just over 10 years in prison after being charged with multiple child sex crimes.
As reported by People, Drechsel was arrested at his home in Florida back in August 2020 after engaging in a sexual relationship with a teenage girl in 2014 after they met at an event.
After being charged with receiving child pornography and enticement to travel for illicit sexual conduct, Drechsel was sentenced to 121 months in jail on Wednesday (June 26), as confirmed by a press release by the United States Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.
According to the press release, the 35-year-old Drechsel “pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée M. Bumb to an information charging him with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a minor to travel interstate to engage in sexual activity for which the defendant can be charged with a crime.”
The press release also noted how the former reality star lived in Hamden, Connecticut from 2014 until November 8, 2019, while his victim — who was “14 and 15 years old” when they had the sexual relationship — lived in New Jersey.
“In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Drechsel to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim,” the release added.
Following his 2020 arrest, law enforcement agents found images of child sexual abuse and photos and videos of the victim on Drechsel’s phone. In the release, it states that the TV personality “admitted that he originally met the victim in 2014 through his activities in the parkour community as an American Ninja Warrior.”
“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.”
After Drecshel was first charged in 2020, NBC released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “American Ninja Warrior is a family show that has inspired countless people, and we will not let the actions of one contestant tarnish the hard work and amazing stories of so many.”
The statement continued, “Moving forward, the American Ninja Warrior brand will sever all ties with Mr. Drechsel, including his appearance on future seasons of the show.”
If you or someone you know is the victim of child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453). If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.