Olympian, former Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder due in court today on prostitution charge
A former Ohio State University and Olympic wrestler is scheduled to appear in a Franklin County courtroom.
Kyle Snyder, 29, is scheduled for a May 19 arraignment in Franklin County Municipal Court. Snyder's attorney, Eric Hoffman, confirmed Snyder plans to plead guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct during the appearance.
Snyder was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport suspended Snyder as a result of his May 9 arrest during a Columbus police prostitution sting.
Snyder is currently living in Pennsylvania, according to court records. On May 14, he released a statement on social media, addressing his arrest.
"I want to thank everyone who has reached out with kindness and support," Snyder wrote. "My focus is on my relationship with the Lord Jesus and my family. This is not (the) conclusion of my journey. 1 Peter 4:17-18."
Snyder was arrested on May 9 at a hotel on the far North Side of Columbus. According to court records, Snyder responded to an online advertisement and went to the hotel to meet an escort.
Snyder agreed to pay the woman, who was an undercover police officer, $160 to perform a sex act.
Body camera video released by Columbus police shows officers entering the hotel room while the undercover officer was in a bathroom and arresting Snyder, who had removed his pants and was sitting on the bed.
Snyder was initially charged with one count of engaging in prostitution, which is a first-degree misdemeanor. The maximum possible sentence is 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
For first-time offenders, which Snyder is believed to be, typical sentences have included required attendance at a "John School." The program is focused on providing education about the risks and harms of prostitution and human trafficking.
Engaging in prostitution became law in Ohio in 2021.
The disorderly conduct charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail, a $250 fine and 200 hours of community service.
Snyder is expected to enter a guilty plea to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to his attorney, Eric Hoffman.
Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Cynthia Ebner could sentence Snyder after the plea is entered or set a sentencing date in the future.
The disorderly conduct charge has a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail, $250 fine and 200 hours of community service.
Snyder won three consecutive NCAA heavyweight championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, becoming the youngest wrestler to win an NCAA, world and Olympic title in the same year.
Snyder competed in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, where he won the silver medal, and in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he placed fourth. Ohio State University inducted him into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.
Prior to being suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, Snyder won the U.S. Open on April 26. That win in the 97-kilogram division qualified for Final X in the 2025 U.S. World Team qualification, which is scheduled to take place in June. It is unclear if Snyder will be reinstated by that time.
The day before his arrest, the Real American Freestyle wrestling league announced Snyder had been signed to the league. Hulk Hogan serves as commissioner for the league, which is scheduled to have its first event in August.
Snyder is well known in the wrestling community and has held camps for young wrestlers in Pennsylvania, where he and his wife live.
Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@gannett.com or on Bluesky at @bethanybruner.dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Olympian, former Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder in court on prostitution charge
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