‘American Ninja Warrior’ Winner Drew Drechsel Charged With Child Sex Crimes With Minor [Mugshot]

Drew Drechsel, the 2019 champion of American Ninja Warrior has been charged with multiple child sex crimes according to a Tuesday press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey.

The release states that Drechsel has been charged with the manufacture of child pornography, enticement of a minor to travel for illicit sexual conduct, travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and use of interstate commerce to entice a minor.

Drechsel was first arrested in Florida. He made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida before later being transferred to the District of New Jersey.

Drechsel and the victim of these crimes first met in 2014. In July 2015 when the minor was around the age of 15, the two had sex in Drechsel’s gym after his girlfriend left the property.

The complaint notes that the victim told her mother about the encounter, and her mother later confronted Drechsel. The show champion apparently “did not deny the sexual activity, but rather stated he did not know her age at the time.”

The documents allege that in 2016 Drechsel traveled to New Jersey where he picked up the minor and the two sex in a restaurant parking lot.

The victim claims that she and Drechsel had sex several more times from the time she was 15 to 17 years old. She also stated that the two had video chats in which Drechsel told her “to be nude and directed her to masturbate so he could view it.” Video and image proof of these chats have been found on Drechsel’s old phone.

Inappropriate photos of the victim have been found beginning in March of 2015 when the minor was 14 years old.

Drechsel’s lawyer, Frank J. Riccio II, issued a statement on Twitter saying, “Mr. Drechsel is presumed innocent of the charges and that presumption will remain throughout the pendency of his case. He intends on entering a ‘not guilty’ plea.”