A onetime reality TV swinger who flaunted his suburban lifestyle on cable television is now sitting in an Ohio jail, accused of felony sex crimes involving a minor and animals.
Tony McCollister, a former cast member on A&E’s short-lived 2015 series Neighbors With Benefits, was arrested in Warren County and charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor and engaging in sexual conduct with animals, according to local authorities.
Prosecutors allege McCollister uploaded child sexual abuse material to a Google account and committed sexual acts involving two dogs he owned, court records cited by local station WLWT show.
McCollister was arraigned earlier this week and hit with a $250,000 bond.
He remains behind bars at the Warren County Jail and is due back in court on Dec. 30. No plea has been entered.
The arrest has reignited attention around “Neighbors With Benefits,” a controversial docuseries that followed married couples in an Ohio suburb who openly practiced swinging while raising kids, holding jobs and coaching Little League teams.
The show debuted March 22, 2015, but was yanked after just two episodes amid swift viewer backlash.
A&E later announced it would not air the remaining episodes and quietly shelved the series entirely, despite several episodes already being filmed.
At the time, McCollister and other cast members insisted the show aimed to challenge stereotypes about non-monogamy and portray swingers as ordinary families living ordinary lives.
The network described the cast as parents, professionals and neighbors navigating unconventional relationships in a traditional setting.
Those claims now stand in stark contrast to the allegations outlined by prosecutors.
Court records indicate investigators uncovered evidence tied to McCollister’s online accounts during the probe.
Authorities have not publicly detailed how the investigation began or when the alleged crimes occurred.
Facebook/700WLW
McCollister’s mugshot shows him staring blankly at the camera, a far cry from the carefully curated image once broadcast into living rooms nationwide.
The charges he faces are serious felonies under Ohio law and could carry significant prison time if he is convicted.
Prosecutors have not said whether additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.
McCollister remains in custody as the case moves forward. He could not be reached for comment.
Read the full article here
