The winner of a Netflix competition show has been charged with a heinous crime in Knox County, Tennessee.
Paul Preece Jr., aged 51, has been arrested on several counts of vile sex crimes. He has been charged with the r*pe of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and attempted r*pe of a child, as reported by Page Six.
He is currently being held in custody under a $150,000 bond.
Preece competed in the first series of the Netflix competition show Outlast in 2023. The show forced contestants to survive the brutal conditions of the Alaskan wilderness in order to win a $1 million prize. Preece split the earnings with his "Charlie Camp" teammates, Seth Lueker and Nick Radner.
According to Screen Rant, during the show, Preece divulged details about his life. He said that when he was younger, he had to fend for himself in Eastern Kentucky. He said that he used the winnings to settle down with his fiancé, buying a home and helping to fund her doctorate.
Preece apparently used to consistently post pictures of him and his "happy" family on his now-deleted Instagram page.
Netflix HQ and distribution officials have yet to release an official statement regarding the arrest. Outlast was recently renewed for its third season in February 2025. There's no telling just yet whether the show will be cancelled following this revelation.
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Fans of the Netflix Show Have Spoken Out
Fans of the Netflix show have spoken out against Preece, branding his behavior as "not a surprise". In a response to a post on X from TMZ, fans have commented on his alleged disgusting actions.
Some fans blamed Netflix and their apparently lax contestant screenings. "Won a survival show and now facing child r*pe charges. The reality TV vetting process has never looked worse than it does right now", one wrote. Another commented, "Shocking and disgusting if true... Netflix, time to rethink those contestant screenings. Justice for the victims above all."
We hope that justice is served.
