Reality TV Star Pleads Guilty to Sexual Acts With Dogs and Possession of Inappropriate Material Involving a Child — as He's Set to Go To Trial For Assault Allegations
A former A&E reality star has pled guilty to possessing inappropriate materials involving children.
Sept. 30 2026, Updated 4:09 p.m. ET
A reality star featured on a cable TV show about swingers has pleaded guilty to child p-rnography and bestiality charges, RadarOnline.com can report.
However, the Ohio man is apparently willing to take his chances with a formal trial for additional charges of allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl.
Tony McCollister Pleads Guilty to Nearly 20 Counts
Tony McCollister will still face trial for allegedly s-xually abusing a child.
Tony McCollister, who appeared on A&E's 2015 show Neighbors with Benefits, which focused on suburban swingers, was arrested in Ohio in December after authorities discovered explicit material involving children linked to his IP address.
The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to 17 counts as his bench trial began earlier this week. 13 of those counts pertain to explicit material involving a minor. Four others involve sexual conduct with an animal.
According to the Warren County Sheriff's Office, authorities were first tipped off to McCollister in June 2025, when Google automatically submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of possible child s-xual abuse material (CSAM) associated with his particular IP address."
"As part of this review, in addition to the CSAM, investigators located video files of McCollister and (girlfriend) Erica Lynne Grove engaged in various types of sexual conduct with two dogs," officials said in a statement.
Arrests Followed a 6-Month Investigation
His former girlfriend, Erica Lynne Grove, pled guilty to similar charges last week.
McCollister was initially charged for possession of the child p-rnography and s-x with the dogs, while Grove was initially charged for s-x with the dogs.
"WCSO detectives continued their investigation and uncovered evidence that Grove and McCollister drugged a female child, who was under the age of six, for the specific purpose of r-ping and engaging in various other types of s-exual assault of the child," the statement continued.
'It's Really Difficult to Even Process'
Both are due back in court for sentencing in November.
Detectives also discovered additional s-xual abuse material involving the child.
"Just when we thought that s-x with the dogs was going to be the most horrific part of this case, the detectives discovered evidence of the drugging and r-ping of a little girl," said Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell.
"I'm sitting in a room full of people who investigate and prosecute child s-xual abuse cases on a daily basis, we’re reviewing the evidence, and it’s just silence," the prosecutor continued. "It’s really difficult to even process."
The Former Couple Will Be Sentenced in November
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The former couple's reality show lasted just one season on A&E.
Grove was found guilty by a judge on similar charges last week, including illegal sexual contact and child endangerment. She also pled guilty to abuse involving dogs, but had several more serious counts dismissed.
Judge Robert Peeler said there wasn't enough evidence to prove the dismissed charges beyond a reasonable doubt, because the case focused mostly on thousands of graphic text messages between her and McCollister.
Prosecutors said the messages exposed the abuse, but Grove's attorneys said they were just fantasy.
"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.
Both McCollister and Grove will be sentenced in November. As for the remaining charges, by opting for a bench trial, a judge will deliver that verdict, as opposed to a jury.
