Florida ‘American Ninja Warrior’ sentenced to 10 years in prison on child porn charges

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man was sentenced to 121 months (just over 10 years) in prison on charges related to child porn, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday.

Andrew Drechsel, 35, of Saint Cloud, Florida, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a minor to travel interstate to engage in sexual activity.

Drechsel is a former winner of the reality show “American Ninja Warrior,” which sees contestants compete for the best time in a series of obstacle courses.

Court documents show from 2014 to Nov. 8, 2019, Dreschsel lived in Hamden, Connecticut. On Nov. 8, 2019, law enforcement found images of child sex abuse, including photos and videos of a victim from New Jersey who was 14 and 15 at the time.

Drechsel admitted to meeting the victim in 2014 through the parkour community.

Drechsel admitted to texting the victim and urging the victim to travel across state lines in July 2015 for sexual activity with Drechsel.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Drechsel to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim.