American Ninja Warrior Drew Drechsel was edited out of the show because he’s facing federal sex abuse charges.
According to NZHerald, he was edited out of the September 7 episode and competed on Ninja Warrior Australia v The World. Some viewers reported seeing a graphic that read, “Due to current legal proceedings in the US, the following program has been edited.”
That’s made a lot of people wonder what exactly Drechsel is accused of doing. “Due to legal proceedings currently involving one of the members of team USA, Channel Nine has made the decision not to show his run in tonight’s episode of Ninja Warrior Australia v The World,” a spokesperson told Australian media, according to NZHerald.
Here’s what you need to know:
Drechsel Was Hit With federal Sex Abuse Charges Relating to a Minor
The news of the charges broke in mid August. That’s when the prominent U.S. newspaper, USA Today, reported on them. According to that newspaper Drechsel was arrested on federal sex abuse accusations.
You can read the U.S. Department of Justice’s press release on the charges here. It alleges that “a Florida man was arrested today and charged with seeking sex with a minor and inducing her to send him sexual explicit images.” That man is Drechsel.
The press release says that Andrew Drechsel, 31, of Saint Cloud, Florida, was charged by complaint “with manufacture of child pornography, enticement of a minor to travel for illicit sexual conduct, travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and use of interstate commerce to entice a minor.” What is Drechsel accused of doing?
The DOJ alleges that:
Drechsel sought to have sex with a minor girl and traveled to New Jersey with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with that minor. He also enticed and coerced a minor to travel to Connecticut to engage in illicit sexual conduct and engaged in online sexual communications with a minor and induced her to manufacture sexually explicit images of herself and send them to Drechsel.
You can read the full federal complaint against Drechsel here. He’s accused of meeting the girl at a 2014 event attended by American Ninja Warrior contestants. She was 15, and he later engaged with sexual behavior with her at a Connecticut gym, according to the complaint.
American Ninja Declared Itself Shocked & NBC Announced that the Network Was Severing Ties With Drechsel
After the charges hit, a spokesperson for the network told USA Today: “We are shocked and disturbed to learn about the charges alleged against Drew Drechsel. ‘American Ninja Warrior’ is a family show that has inspired countless people, and we will not let the actions of one contestant tarnish the hard work and amazing stories of so many. Moving forward, the American Ninja Warrior brand will sever all ties with Mr. Drechsel, including his appearance on future seasons of the show.”
He is a former winner of American Ninja Warrior and was supposed to be featured in the new season. His lawyer told USA Today that he is innocent. Dreschel’s lawyer Frank J. Riccio II wrote on Twitter: “Mr. Drechsel is presumed innocent of the charges and that presumption will remain throughout the pendency of his case. He intends on entering a ‘not guilty’ plea. It is respectfully requested that you respect the privacy of Mr. Drechsel and his family.”
Drechsel doesn’t have a wife but he did recently have a baby with his long-time girlfriend.
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