Jeopardy! Winner from Raleigh Arrested on 10 Child Exploitation Charges

Philip "Joey" DeSena, a two-time Jeopardy! winner from Raleigh, NC, was arrested on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and denied bond.

Two-time Jeopardy! champion denied bond after child exploitation arrest in Wake County

Philip Joseph "Joey" DeSena, a 44-year-old engineer from Raleigh, North Carolina, was arrested on Friday, 23 October in Wake County, court records reviewed by wbtv.com show.

DeSena faces 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. According to an arrest warrant, the charges relate to his alleged possession of sexually explicit images and videos depicting children. He was booked into Wake County jail and denied bond at an initial court hearing on Monday, 26 October. His next court date is scheduled for 16 November.

The arrest came less than a year after his first, on 1 December 2025, when DeSena was charged with two counts of felony secret peeping. Those charges stemmed from the alleged recording of a woman in a bedroom and bathroom. He pleaded guilty to the peeping charges on 27 July 2026 and was sentenced to 60 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory mental health assessment by a psychiatrist or psychologist specialising in psychosexual treatment.

DeSena won two episodes of Jeopardy! in November 2024 and took part in the show's "Winter 2025 Champions Wildcard" tournament in January 2025. His two victories earned him a combined $44,698 in prize money.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)