Drew Drechsel, winner of season 11 of NBC's competition show "American Ninja Warrior," was arrested and charged Tuesday with seeking sex with a minor and inducing her into sending him sexually explicit images, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of New Jersey announced.Authorities say Drechsel, 31, traveled to New Jersey to have sex with a minor. (Photo by: Tsutomu Fujita/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) ©2020 FOX News Network, LLC. ©2020 FOX News Network, LLC. "He intends on entering a 'not guilty' plea. The alleged victim told her mother about the encounter the following day, according to the complaint.In 2016, the documents allege that Drechsel traveled to New Jersey, where he picked up the minor, took her to a restaurant parking lot and had sex with her again.The victim alleged that they had sex several more times when she was between the ages of 15 and 17, and they had video chats, in which he allegedly told her "to be nude and directed her to masturbate so he could view it," the complaint reads.Several images and a video of the minor doing so were allegedly found on an old phone belonging to Drechsel, per the complaint.The first photo was taken in March 2015, when the victim was 14 years old, and several others are dated later, indicating she was 15 or 16 when the images were taken. "Moving forward, the American Ninja Warrior brand will sever all ties with Mr. Drechsel, including his appearance on future seasons of the show. "It is respectfully requested that you respect the privacy of Mr. Drechsel and his family.”A spokesperson for NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of NBC News, said in a statement Tuesday that the network was "shocked and disturbed to learn about the charges alleged against Drew Drechsel" and that it will be severing ties with him. Drechsel won the last season of NBC’s obstacle course competition show, "American Ninja Warrior" and has also served as a mentor on "American Ninja Warrior Junior. However, Riccio “Mr. All rights reserved. "American Ninja Warrior" winner Drew Drechsel was arrested Tuesday on federal child-sex-related charges, just weeks after a new season of the reality competition series was taped in St. Louis …
"Dreschel also co-owns Real Life Ninja Academy, a set of gyms with locations in New York and Connecticut.Gwen Aviles is a trending news and culture reporter for NBC News. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.The 31-year-old has been charged with the manufacture of child pornography and 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, He was arrested in Florida, where he made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, before being transferred to the District of New Jersey.According to the complaint, Drechsel, then 26, met the alleged victim in 2014 when they swapped phone numbers and began texting.
Drew Drechsel, winner of season 11 of NBC's competition show "American Ninja Warrior," was arrested and charged Tuesday with seeking sex with a … Drew Drechsel, who competed in Ninja Warrior Australia v The World, was charged with manufacture of child pornography, enticement of a minor to … In July of 2015, when the minor was roughly 15 years old, she traveled to Drechsel's gym, where the two allegedly had sex after Drechsel's girlfriend left the property. Drew Drechsel, 2019's " American Ninja Warrior " champion, has been charged with child sex crimes, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of New Jersey said in a press release on Tuesday.