Joey DeSena arrested on child exploitation charges

Joey DeSena, a 44-year-old two-time ‘Jeopardy!’ champion, has been arrested in Wake County, North Carolina, on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The charges follow allegations that he was in possession of sexually explicit images and videos featuring children.

DeSena was arrested while on probation for a previous felony conviction. In July 2026, he pleaded guilty to two counts of felony secret peeping after allegedly recording a woman in a bedroom and bathroom at a rental home in Corolla, North Carolina. His sentence for those charges included 60 months of probation and a requirement to complete a psycho-sexual evaluation.

During an initial court hearing, a judge denied DeSena bond. He is currently held in the Wake County Jail and is scheduled to return to court on November 16.