Two-time Jeopardy champion Joey DeSena arrested on child pornography charges while on probation

Joey DeSena, who won Jeopardy! twice, was arrested in Wake County, North Carolina, on Friday and faces ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor after authorities found child-explicit pictures and videos in his possession. He is currently held in the Wake County Jail, where a judge denied his request for bond. The arrest comes less than a year after he was caught in December 2025 for secretly recording a woman in a bedroom and bathroom, to which he pleaded guilty and received 60 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mandated mental-health evaluation.

DeSena had previously described his television appearances as a “literal dream come true” and competed in the Champions Wildcard tournament in January 2025, reaching the semi-finals before being eliminated. The new charges add to his legal troubles while he remains incarcerated.