North Carolina's Robinson, omitted from Trump rally, avoids comment on report about online posts
Scholz's Social Democrats fend off far-right in German state vote
A key ingredient has been missing from California’s wildfires this year. Experts worry things will get worse if it arrives
UN adopts pact that aims to save global cooperation
Netanyahu considering plan to force all Palestinian civilians out of northern Gaza to besiege Hamas
Ecuador cuts power in half of its provinces amid historic drought
UK's Starmer under pressure over cuts, donations at Labour conference
A haunting final message and other takeaways from the Coast Guard inquiry into the Titan submersible implosion
Oklahoma QB situation uncertain after Arnold struggles, Hawkins sparks in loss to Tennessee
Erling Haaland scores his 100th goal for Manchester City
Chargers QB Justin Herbert will play against the Steelers despite an ankle injury
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — A former winner of the “American Ninja Warrior” TV reality show has been sentenced to just over 10 years in federal prison for enticing an underage girl to travel across state lines so they could have sex.
Andrew Drechsel, 35, of Saint Cloud, Florida, will also have to serve 15 years of supervised release once he completes his prison term and must pay the victim $100,000 in restitution under the 121-month sentence imposed Wednesday in Camden. Drechsel pleaded guilty to both the enticement charge and a charge of possessing child sex abuse material in June 2023.
Drechsel, who won season 11 of the NBC television show in 2019, was living in Hamden, Connecticut, at that time, while the victim lived in New Jersey. The encounters between him and the girl took place between 2014 and 2019, prosecutors said, with the girl sometimes going to Connecticut and Drechsel going to New Jersey at other times.
Drechsel told authorities he met the victim in 2014 after an “American Ninja Warrior” contestant event, where they exchanged numbers and began texting. She was 14 at the time; he was in his mid-20s.
