Raleigh Engineer Charged With 10 Counts After Arrest in Wake County
Joey DeSena, who won two Jeopardy! episodes in November 2024, is being held without bond ahead of a Nov. 16 court date.
By Samir Doyle ·
Philip Joseph "Joey" DeSena, a Raleigh engineer who won two Jeopardy! episodes, was booked into the Wake County Jail facing 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. An arrest warrant says the charges involve allegedly possessing explicit pictures and videos showing children. At an initial hearing Monday, the 44-year-old was denied bond.
The arrest on Oct. 23 followed a case filed earlier this year. DeSena was first arrested on Dec. 1, 2025, on two counts of felony secret peeping, charges tied to the alleged recording of a woman in a bedroom and bathroom. He pleaded guilty to those counts on July 27, 2026. The court sentenced him to 60 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mental health assessment or evaluation, with the court recommending a psychiatrist or psychologist specializing in psychosexual treatment handle it.
DeSena won two Jeopardy! episodes in November 2024, taking home $44,698 across those appearances, and competed in the show's "Winter 2025 Champions Wildcard" tournament in January 2025. He lives in Raleigh.
Court records show he is due back in court on Nov. 16 on the sexual exploitation charges.
