Joey DeSena, a Raleigh-based development engineer who won two games on Jeopardy! in 2024, was arrested on Friday, October 23, 2026, in North Carolina and charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.com. Authorities also issued an arrest warrant accusing DeSena of possessing sexually explicit photographs and videos of children.
DeSena was booked into the Wake County Jail, where he is being held without bail after making his initial appearance in court, TMZ.com reported. The new charges arrive approximately three months after his conviction on unrelated sex crimes in the same state.
In December 2025, DeSena was arrested on two counts of secret peeping after authorities said he recorded a woman inside her bedroom and bathroom. He later entered a guilty plea to the felony peeping charges. As part of his sentence, DeSena received 60 months of probation and was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. The court also directed him to undergo a mental health evaluation conducted by a psychologist who specializes in psychosexual treatment.
Before his legal troubles, DeSena was known locally as a trivia standout. He appeared on Jeopardy! in 2024 and won two consecutive games, collecting a total of $44,698. After losing his third game, he qualified for the 2025 Champions Wildcard tournament, where he advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated.
The Wake County charges represent a significant escalation for DeSena, who was already under court supervision at the time of his latest arrest. The case has drawn attention in Raleigh, where DeSena worked as a development engineer before his television appearances.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
