Reality Show Star From ‘Neighbors with Benefits’ Arrested in Child abuse case that Horrified Investigators
An Ohio man who once appeared on a reality television show about suburban swingers is now facing deeply disturbing allegations that have shocked investigators. Tony McCollister and his partner Erica Lynne Grove, both 43, were arrested in late December after authorities were alerted to explicit material involving children linked to McCollister’s internet activity.
According to a news release from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the case began when Google submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The alert flagged content connected to an IP address tied to McCollister, prompting a six month investigation by local law enforcement.
McCollister previously appeared on the A and E reality television series “Neighbors with Benefits.” The programme aired just two episodes in 2015 and followed the lives of swingers living in an Ohio neighbourhood. On the show, McCollister was portrayed as a leading figure in the group, described in one episode summary as someone who aimed “to recruit new neighbors to join their freewheeling lifestyle.”
Grove did not appear on the television series, but investigators say she played a central role in what followed. During the investigation, officials with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office uncovered a video showing McCollister and Grove engaging in sexual conduct with two dogs. Authorities described the footage as horrifying, but said it was only part of what they later discovered.
As detectives continued their work, they uncovered evidence that the couple allegedly drugged and raped a young girl who was under six years old. Investigators also located additional child sex abuse material involving the same child, according to authorities.
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell described the moment the case took an even darker turn. “Just when we thought that sex with the dogs was going to be the most horrific part of this case, the detectives discovered evidence of the drugging and raping of a little girl. I’m sitting in a room full of people who investigate and prosecute child sexual abuse cases on a daily basis, we’re reviewing the evidence, and it’s just silence. It’s really difficult to even process,” Fornshell said.
Fornshell said the investigation remains in its early stages, but once the alleged child rape came to light, authorities moved quickly to push the case towards a grand jury. He noted that the seriousness of the allegations and the age of the alleged victim led to an urgent response from prosecutors and investigators.
Grove has now been indicted on 24 charges. These include four counts of rape, one count of corrupting another with drugs, five counts of gross sexual imposition, eight counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity oriented material or performance, two counts of endangering children and four counts of sexual conduct with an animal.