Paul Preece Jr., the 51-year-old winner of the first season of Netflix’s survival competition series “Outlast,” has been arrested in Tennessee on serious felony charges involving the alleged sexual abuse of a child.
Preece, a resident of Seymour, Tennessee, was taken into custody by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, March 6, 2026.
According to Knox County jail and court records cited by multiple outlets, including Deadline, WBIR, WATE, and Entertainment Weekly, he faces charges of rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and attempted rape of a child.
Some reports initially referenced aggravated assault, but the predominant charges listed in official records and local news coverage are the sexual offenses noted above.
Preece gained public attention in 2023 when he appeared as a contestant on “Outlast,” a Netflix reality series that challenged participants to endure harsh wilderness conditions in Alaska while competing for a cash prize.
He emerged victorious as part of a three-person team alongside Nick Radner and Seth Lueker, securing a shared $1 million prize after outlasting other competitors in the grueling survival format.
The arrest has drawn widespread attention due to the stark contrast between Preece’s on-screen persona as a resilient outdoorsman and the gravity of the allegations now leveled against him.
Authorities have provided no detailed public information about the circumstances of the alleged offenses, the age of the victim(s), or the specific events leading to the charges, as is typical in cases involving minors and sexual crimes to protect victim privacy.
Preece is currently being held at the Knox County Jail on a bond set at “$150,000.” Court records indicate that, should he be released on bond, he will be required to wear an electronic GPS monitoring device as a condition of his release.
No pre-trial hearing date or further court proceedings have been publicly scheduled at this time, and the case remains in its early stages. As with all criminal defendants, Preece is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney’s office have not yet released an official statement beyond the booking information.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Paul Preece Jr., the 51-year-old winner of Netflix’s Outlast Season 1 who claimed a share of the $1 million prize in 2023, has been arrested and charged with rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and attempted rape of a child.
He remains in custody in Knox County, Tennessee, on a $150,000 bond with GPS monitoring required if released.
