Tony McCollister, a reality TV swinger, has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and having sex with dogs, but is set to go on trial accused of drugging and raping a five-year-old girl. McCollister was arrested in Ohio last December after authorities found explicit pornographic material concerning children linked to his IP address.
Investigation and Charges
Prior to his arrest, McCollister had appeared in the swingers reality TV show on A&E's “Neighbors with Benefits.” His partner, Erica Lynne Grove, was also arrested. After conducting an investigation into McCollister, officials claimed they found a video of the couple engaging in sexual conduct with two dogs, the Warren County Sheriff's Office said in February.
They also found thousands of graphic text messages between the couple. Police said the probe unearthed alleged evidence that the couple drugged and raped a young girl. McCollister has pleaded guilty to 13 counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and four counts of sexual conduct with an animal, WLWT reported.
Trial and Sentencing
The 43-year-old has also been charged with drugging and raping a child, which will go to trial. McCollister's partner Grove was convicted last week of gross sexual contact and two counts of endangering a child, but was found not guilty of rape. She also previously pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual conduct with an animal.
The woman's attorney argued the foul messages she received from McCollister were sent as fantasy. The couple are due to be sentenced in November.
TV Show Background
McCollister previously appeared on the small screen starring in the show “Neighbors with Benefits” back in 2015. The show only aired two episodes and followed the lives of swingers in Ohio. McCollister was depicted as the leader of the swinger community as he aimed to “to recruit new neighbors to join their freewheeling lifestyle,” according to an episode description. A&E previously announced it would not air the remaining episodes, quietly shelving the series altogether.
