Raleigh 'Jeopardy!' champion arrested on new charges

Philip Joseph DeSena, a two-time contestant on the game show 'Jeopardy!', was arrested in Raleigh on Oct. 23.

Wake County court records list DeSena, 44, as charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest warrant cites the alleged possession of sexually explicit pictures and videos featuring children.

DeSena was booked into the Wake County Jail on the day of his arrest. At his initial hearing on Monday, the judge denied his request for bond.

This is DeSena's second arrest in less than a year. He was first taken into custody on Dec. 1, 2025, on two felony counts of secret peeping. Those charges involved the alleged recording of a woman in a bedroom and bathroom. He pleaded guilty to those charges on July 27, 2026, and received a sentence of 60 months of probation.

As part of that earlier sentence, DeSena was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. The court also required a mental health assessment by a psychiatrist or psychologist specializing in psychosexual treatment. DeSena is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 16 regarding the new charges.

The Raleigh resident won two episodes of 'Jeopardy!' in November 2024 and earned $44,698. He also competed in the show's Winter 2025 Champions Wildcard tournament in January.