RALEIGH, NC. (THECOUNT) — Philip Joseph “Joey” DeSena, 44, a two-time “Jeopardy!” winner from Raleigh, North Carolina, has been arrested on 10 felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records. The arrest comes months after DeSena pleaded guilty to two felony secret-peeping charges in a separate case.
DeSena was arrested Friday, October 23, in Wake County and booked into the Wake County Detention Center. He was denied bond following his initial court appearance Monday, October 26, according to court records and local reports.
Advertisement
Arrest warrants allege that DeSena possessed and duplicated 10 digital files depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Investigators estimated that the children shown in the material were between 7 and 15 years old, according to reporting by WRAL.
The warrants identify November 19, 2025, as the date of the alleged offenses. The new charges remain allegations, and DeSena has not been convicted in this case.
DeSena’s latest arrest follows a separate case stemming from an incident at a rental property in Corolla, North Carolina, in October 2025. Authorities alleged he secretly installed cameras in a bedroom and bathroom to record a person without their consent.
DeSena was arrested in December 2025 and charged with two counts of felony secret peeping. He pleaded guilty to both charges on July 27, 2026, and received a sentence of 60 months of probation.
As part of that sentence, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and undergo a mental health assessment or evaluation. Court records recommended that the assessment be conducted by a psychiatrist or psychologist specializing in psychosexual treatment. Reports said he was not required to register as a sex offender under the terms of the plea agreement.
The new charges were filed while DeSena was serving probation for the earlier conviction. He is scheduled to return to court on the sexual exploitation charges on November 16.
DeSena became known to television audiences after winning two consecutive games on the syndicated quiz show “Jeopardy!” in November 2024. He earned a total of $44,698 during his two-game run.
After losing his third game, DeSena later returned to the show for its Champions Wildcard tournament. He advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated from the competition.
The Wake County case is being handled in Raleigh, the county seat of Wake County and part of the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area. DeSena was booked into the Wake County Detention Center at 3301 Hammond Road in Raleigh.
Google Maps: Wake County Detention Center, 3301 Hammond Road, Raleigh, NC
DEVELOPING::