Comedian and actor Jon Reep, who gained fame through his win on NBC’s The Last Comic Standing in 2007 and his memorable appearance in a Dodge Ram commercial, has been arrested on multiple felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors.
The native of Hickory, North Carolina, was taken into custody on Friday, September 5, 2025.
This arrest stems from a cyber tip received from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children back in April 2025, alerting authorities to possible child sexual abuse materials associated with users linked to Reep.
Law enforcement executed search warrants for the relevant IP addresses, seized electronic devices, and conducted forensic examinations of those devices and online communications tied to them.
On September 2, a grand jury in Catawba County returned a “true bill” indictment, which included one felony charge of second-degree sexual exploitation of minors and one felony charge of third-degree sexual exploitation. Reports suggest that the victims involved are minors aged between 1 and 14 years old.
Following his arrest, Reep posted a $260,000 secured bond and was released from the Catawba County Detention Facility. His next court date is set for Monday, September 8, 2025.
This incident has already impacted his performance schedule. His show in Goldsboro, originally slated for September 5, has been postponed, and the upcoming events in his “Popsicle Tour,” including a performance at the Dothan Opera House on September 14, have been cancelled with refunds issued to ticket holders.
Reep’s career in comedy covers a range of stand-up specials and TV roles. Besides his success on The Last Comic Standing, he was a regular on Rodney (2004-06) and has appeared in various shows such as Eastbound & Down, Curbed Your Enthusiasm, American Dad!, and more recently in Netflix’s Brad Paisley Comedy Rodeo and his Amazon Prime special Ginger Beard Man.
Locals in Hickory, including former classmates, have reacted with disbelief to the news. One individual expressed, “It’s just mind-blowing that he actually did that.”
It remains unclear whether Reep has entered a plea or secured legal representation at this point.
