Paul Preece Jr., winner of Netflix’s survival competition Outlast, was arrested in Knox County on charges including rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery.
Per the records, obtained by TMZ, the 51-year-old was captured in Knox County on Friday, Mar. 6, on the aforementioned severe charges.
As of the time of writing, Paul Preece Jr. is also being held on a $150,000 bond and is required to wear a GPS tracker upon his release.
Paul Preece Jr. participated in Season 1 of the Netflix survival competition show, Outlast, which aired in 2023. According to the series’ synopsis:
“In the extreme Alaskan wild, 16 survivalists compete for a chance to win a massive cash prize but these lone wolves must be part of a team to win.”
Contestants were tasked with living in the jungle, the premise of which was dropping all 16 contestants by parachute into the middle of the Alaskan wilderness amidst the region’s grueling fall weather.
Upon their arrival, the participants divided into four teams, and each went out to different spots. Each team should consist of no more than two members, and they were also required to work together, not leaving anyone behind.
No contestant was allowed to work alone, although it was allowed for the groups to change members at any time. There was also no voting required to oust a participant.
Paul Preece Jr. emerged victorious in Season 1, alongside his Charlie Camp teammates, Seth Lueker and Nick Radner, all three of them taking home $1 million.
In a conversation with Tudum, Preece reflected on how he and his team secured the title.
“We were looking out for each other. We’d already made a plan for the last competition. If [one of us] started holding the team up, we were going to flare out. If we saw the other team [about to win] and I was the one dragging ass and causing us to lose, I was going to flare out. We were as much there for each other as we were for ourselves.”
What did Paul Preece Jr. reveal about his personal life in Netflix’s Outlast Season 1?
During his time in Outlast, Paul Preece Jr. shared tidbits of his personal life with his teammates.
As he had been hunting at a young age, his skills made him fully equipped to support his family of four, and gave him an edge in competing in the Netflix series. His years of experience also made him eligible to teach the youth about hunting.
In the show, Paul Preece Jr. revealed that, as a young boy, he struggled to find a home, leaving him no choice but to fend for himself in Eastern Kentucky.
Preece added that he and his fiancée bought a home with his share. While she completes her PhD, the Outlast star said that the extra money he won has helped in ameliorating their financial burdens.
Outlast aired its sophomore season in 2024, and it has also been renewed for a third season in February 2025.
Meanwhile, following his win, Paul Preece Jr. launched a podcast, Between The Horns, where he spoke with some of the cast members.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino