Former A&E Reality Star Tony McCollister Pleads Guilty to 17 Charges, Faces Child Rape Allegations

Former A&E reality personality Tony McCollister has pleaded guilty to 17 charges in Ohio, while four rape counts and other child-related charges remain pending. The case includes allegations involving the rape and drugging of a five-year-old child.

His guilty pleas covered 13 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and four counts of sexual conduct with an animal.

McCollister previously appeared on the A&E reality series 'Neighbors with Benefits'. His remaining charges will be adjudicated in a bench trial, according to court records.

McCollister was arrested in December in connection with the case. He had previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to several charges and requested an evaluation of his mental state at the time of the alleged offences, according to previous reporting.

Tony McCollister Pleads Guilty to 17 Charges

Court records show McCollister entered the guilty pleas on 28 September. The pleas resolved 17 charges but did not bring the criminal proceedings against him to an end.

McCollister still faces four counts of rape, five counts of gross sexual imposition and three counts of endangering children. He also faces one count of corrupting another with drugs.

Those remaining charges have not been resolved by his guilty pleas and continue to be allegations before the court.

Earlier court documents cited by WLWT alleged that McCollister uploaded child sexual abuse imagery to a Google account. The documents also alleged that he engaged in sexual conduct with two dogs he owned on 23 November.

McCollister's reality television appearance dates to 2015, when he and his wife were one of three couples featured on 'Neighbors with Benefits'. The A&E series followed the lives of swingers and was cancelled after two episodes following viewer backlash.

Tony McCollister Case Also Involves Erica Grove

The wider case has also involved Erica Grove, whom authorities said was in a relationship with McCollister at the time.

Judge Robert Peeler found Grove guilty of two counts of gross sexual imposition and two counts of endangering children. He found her not guilty of four counts of rape and one count of corrupting another with drugs.

Peeler also found Grove not guilty of three additional counts of gross sexual imposition after determining there was insufficient evidence to prove those charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors argued that text messages between Grove and others reflected actual abuse. Grove's lawyers maintained that the messages described fantasy rather than events that had taken place. Peeler said the nature of the messages was not, by itself, enough to support convictions on every charge.

'These text messages were gross and repulsive. These messages ignite a visceral urge to condemn the defendant for the perverse conversations in which she engaged. But it is fundamental that a civilized society does not punish for thoughts alone,' Peeler said.

Grove had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual conduct with an animal before her trial.

Tony McCollister Still Faces Child Rape Allegations

McCollister's 17 guilty pleas resolve only part of the criminal case against him. The four rape counts and other child-related charges remain pending. They include five counts of gross sexual imposition, three counts of endangering children and one count of corrupting another with drugs.

The rape and drugging allegations involving the five-year-old child have therefore not been established by McCollister's guilty pleas. His admissions apply to the 13 pandering counts and four counts of sexual conduct with an animal.

Grove's case was separately adjudicated, while McCollister's remaining charges are still before the court. Following his guilty pleas, McCollister's outstanding charges will be adjudicated in a bench trial, according to court records. That means the unresolved rape and other child-related charges remain part of an active criminal proceeding.

The 28 September pleas settled 17 counts against McCollister, but they did not resolve the allegations at the centre of the remaining case. Those charges will now proceed to the next stage before the court.