A two-time Jeopardy! Champion has reportedly been arrested again, just short of a year after his previous arrest.
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44-year-old Joey DeSena was arrested on Oct. 23 in Wake County, North Carolina, according to court documents obtained by local outlet WBTV. According to the outlet, the Jeopardy! champ was "charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor." WBTV also reported that the warrant for DeSena involved "alleged possession of sexually explicit pictures and videos that showed children."
DeSena was first arrested back in December 2025. The arrest reportedly stemmed from allegedly recording a female in a bedroom and bathroom, and he was charged with two counts of felony secret peeping.
This past July, the Jeopardy! champion pleaded guilty to the peeping charges. He was eventually sentenced to 60 months of probation, along with 100 hours of community service. DeSena also reportedly had to obtain a mental health assessment per the court.
'Jeopardy!' Champion Reportedly Denied Bail After Latest Arrest
A native of Raleigh, DeSena first appeared on Jeopardy! in November 2024, winning two episodes back to back. He later appeared in the fan favorite game show's "Winter 2025 Champions Wildcard" tournament in January of that year. He made it to the semi-finals before being emlinated.
His total Jeopardy! winning reportedly stacked up to $44,698.
According to The New York Post, DeSena gushed about his time on the venerable game show, calling it a "literal dream come true," before going on to praise the show's host and crew.
He also praised his fellow contestants after his first two appearances. "Well, the improbable mini-streak has come to an end," DeSena wrote on social media after his loss on Nov. 13, via the US Sun. "All the credit in this game goes to Evan and Lois, who were two amazing competitors that came to play."
Meanwhile, DeSena was reportedly denied bond earlier this week. He remains detained in the Wake County Jail. According to WBTV, he's due back in court on Nov. 16 to address the alleged new sexual exploitation charges.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
