Jon Reep, the stand-up comic who won season 5 of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” was arrested Friday and charged with multiple counts of child sexual exploitation after law enforcement said they traced a suspicious online account to his home in Hickory, North Carolina.
Catawba County authorities allege Reep, 53, operated an online account that contained sexually explicit material involving minors. Court documents reviewed by local station WSOC-TV say the allegations involve children between the ages of 1 and 14. Reep was charged with a total of 10 counts: one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and nine counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Investigators said the arrest followed a cyber tip about a lurid account on an unspecified online app. Deputies executed a search warrant at the location associated with the account’s IP address, which led them to Reep’s residence, the sheriff’s office told WSOC-TV. Electronic devices were seized and are being analyzed for other alleged illegal online communications.
Reep, who has billed himself as the “Ginger Beard Man” and has appeared in television roles including on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Black-ish,” was taken into custody by local law enforcement on Friday. Authorities have not publicly disclosed whether he has been released on bond, nor have they provided a schedule for any initial court proceedings.
The charges filed in Catawba County are allegations; Reep has not been convicted. The sheriff’s office has said the investigation is ongoing as digital evidence is examined. Local prosecutors and the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. Reep’s representatives did not provide a statement to local media at the time of the reports.
The case will proceed through North Carolina’s judicial system, where prosecutors must present evidence to support the charges. If convicted, sexual exploitation statutes carry serious penalties under state law. The investigation reflects a broader law enforcement emphasis on online reporting and the tracing of internet activity to locate suspected illegal content and its sources.
Reep rose to national attention after winning the comedy competition series and later touring and appearing on television. The new criminal allegations mark a significant development in the entertainer’s public life as authorities continue their probe into the online account and the materials recovered during the search.
No further details about the alleged victims have been released by investigators, and officials have asked that the public refrain from sharing unverified information as forensic analysis of the seized devices continues.