An Ohio man who took part in a reality show documenting the lives of local swingers has been charged with two different sex crimes related to a minor and an animal.
Newsweek reached out to the Warren County, Ohio, prosecutor's office by email on Saturday outside of normal business hours for comment.
Sex crimes, particularly those involving minors, remain a significant issue. Over 420,000 Americans aged 12 and up experience sexual abuse each year, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), although the real number is likely to be higher as many survivors do not come forward.
Earlier this week, federal authorities announced a major child sex abuse bust, called Operation Relentless Justice, which located 205 child victims and saw the arrest of over 293 child sex abuse offenders, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Tony McCollister, 43, was part of the core cast on a short-lived series called Neighbors with Benefits in 2015 on A&E. He was arrested on Wednesday and was charged with two sex crimes -- pandering obscenity involving a minor and sexual conduct with an animal.
Local news station WLWT reported that court documents allege McCollister knowingly uploaded child sexual abuse material to his Google account.
His bail is set at $250,000 collectively for the crimes, according to his jail roster entry, but he remains in custody in Warren County jail as of Saturday. He was also ordered to have no contact with children or pets.
Neighbors with Benefits followed three couples in an unnamed suburb in Ohio "as they court prospective partners and interact with friends and participants, all while going about their typical everyday lives as parents, professionals, soccer moms, and little league coaches," according to a network press release at the time.
McCollister and his wife, Diana, were the first couple in the neighborhood to take the lead on the swinger movement, according to local news station KTEN. The couple had been swinging for 12 years before the show, and they hoped that the program would help normalize the practice.
However, the show was cancelled after just two episodes due to public backlash.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this week addressing Operation Relentless Justice: "We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice. Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
McCollister is due to appear in court on December 30, according to WLWT.