Former 'America Ninja Warrior' Winner Receives Jail Sentence for Child Exploitation Charges

Entertainment | June 28, 2024, 8:35 a.m.

Former American Ninja Warrior champion, Andrew Drechsel, has been sentenced to over 10 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl and receiving child pornography. He must also serve 15 years of supervised release and pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim. The girl, who was just 14 at the time they met at a parkour event in 2014, disclosed the relationship to authorities in 2019. Drechsel, now 35, invited her to his gym on her 15th birthday where they engaged in sexual activities. The victim revealed they had multiple encounters in New Jersey when she was between 15 and 17 years old. Police later found child sexual abuse materials on Drechsel's phone, prompting his guilty plea. His achievements on American Ninja Warrior have been overshadowed by this scandal, with NBC cutting all ties with him.