Ex-WWE star arrested for trying to buy child abuse material on dark web
Ex-WWE star Michael Droese has been arrested for trying to purchase child sexual abuse material.
Droese, a former wrestler known as Duke 'The Dumpster' Droese during his career at the wrestling promotion from 1994 to 1996, was indicted by a Tennessee grand jury on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class D felony.
Prosecutors allege he tried to buy child sexual abuse material on the dark web in April 2024.
The 56-year-old tried to use cryptocurrency to make the purchase, but the transaction was flagged and blocked by Coinbase who then alerted the FBI.
The tip was passed to local authorities in Warren County, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was brought in to assist with the inquiry.
Droese turned himself in to police and was booked, and later released after posting a $10,000 bail.
He is scheduled to appear in Warren County Circuit Court on May 28 for arraignment.
If convicted, he faces a sentence of two to four years in prison.
At the time of the alleged offence, Droese was employed as a DUI coordinator with the 31st Judicial District Adult Recovery Court Program where he held numerous roles over the years.
District Attorney General Chris Stanford confirmed he did not work directly with children, and was fired from his job immediately.
Stanford said that the charge is classified as aggravated due to Droese's intent to purchase child sexual abuse material.
Michael Droese aka Duke 'The Dumpster' Droese mugshot
The News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, 7th of May
'The financial transaction is what fuels the production and distribution of such material globally, making this a particularly serious offense,' he said.
A 2009 article by the WWE revealed that the California man had changed careers and became a school teacher for kids with learning disabilities and began coaching high school athletes.
He resigned from his role in 2013 after he was caught selling oxycodone to an undercover agent and given a one-month prison sentence.
Drose was a popular WWE star in the 90s, developing on-screen rivalries with figures such as Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Paul 'Triple H' Levesque.
He left the WWE in 1996 but continued to wrestle in smaller promotions internationally.
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