EX-CT man gets federal prison in sex crime case. He has to pay the victim $100K.

A former Connecticut man and “American Ninja Warrior” champion was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for receiving child pornography and enticement to travel for illicit sexual conduct, according to federal authorities.

Andrew Drechsel, 35, now of Saint Cloud, Florida, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée M. Bumb in New Jersey to an information charging him with 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 for which the defendant can be charged with a crime, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

Bumb imposed the sentence in Camden federal court, according to authorities. Bumb also sentenced Drechsel to 15 years of supervised release to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim.

Authorities, citing documents in the case and statements made in court, said Drechsel lived in Hamden from 2014 to Nov. 8, 2019. The victim lived in New Jersey.

Law enforcement agents in 2019 searched one of Drechsel’s phones and “found images of child sexual abuse, including photos and videos of the victim when the victim was 14 and 15 years old,” authorities said in a statement. “Drechsel admitted that he originally met the victim in 2014 through his activities in the parkour community as an ‘American Ninja Warrior.’”

Authorities also said Drechsel “admitted texting the victim and discussing his plans to engage in sexual activity with the victim.”  Further, “at Drechsel’s urging, the victim traveled across state lines in July 2015 so that Drechsel could have sexual relations with the victim.”

Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI South Jersey Resident Agency, under direction of Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. Sellinger also thanked the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office; the Cherry Hill Police Department; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; special agents of the FBI New Haven Resident Agency; the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office, Hartford Judicial District; the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office, New Haven Judicial District; the Windsor Police Department; the Hamden Police Department; and special agents of the FBI Tampa Resident Agency.