Joey DeSena, a former Jeopardy! champion, faces new criminal charges in North Carolina. His latest arrest comes months after his conviction in a separate secret-peeping case. The new allegations involve the sexual exploitation of minors. The new charges mark another serious legal challenge for the former game show contestant.
Joey DeSena faces 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor following North Carolina arrest
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, authorities arrested Joey DeSena in North Carolina on Friday. He faces 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. An arrest warrant alleges that he possessed sexually explicit images and videos involving children. Officials booked him into Wake County Jail, where he remained without bail after his first court appearance.
DeSena was previously arrested on separate charges in December 2025. Authorities accused him of secretly filming a woman in her bedroom and bathroom. The case involved two counts of secret peeping. DeSena later pleaded guilty to the felony charges, according to a report from WAVY.
The court sentenced DeSena to 60 months of probation for the earlier case. He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation with a specialist in psychosexual treatment. His latest arrest came nearly three months after his conviction in the secret-peeping case.
DeSena previously worked as a development engineer in Raleigh, North Carolina. He appeared on Jeopardy! in 2024 and won two games, earning $44,698 in total. After losing his third game, he returned for the 2025 Champions Wildcard tournament. He reached the semifinals before another competitor eliminated him. His latest arrest has brought renewed attention to his brief Jeopardy! career.
