Olympic wrestler Kyle Snyder will reportedly plead guilty to lesser charge after arrest in prostitution sting
Olympic gold medal wrestler Kyle Snyder will reportedly plead guilty to a lesser charge after his arrest in a Columbus, Ohio, prostitution sting last week.
A three-time NCAA champion at Ohio State, Snyder was charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor. He will plead guilty to disorderly conduct when he appears in court on May 19, his attorney told Columbus' WCMH-TV. That would be a fourth-degree misdemeanor.
Snyder, 29, allegedly responded to an online ad for escort services posted by Columbus police and paid an undercover officer $160 in cash to solicit a sex act in a hotel room.
Body camera footage obtained by WBNS showed Snyder was not wearing pants when five officers entered the hotel room. When asked for his occupation, he responded, "I'm a wrestler for Team USA." After being taken to another room for questioning, Snyder was arrested. He was one of 16 men arrested in the sting operation.
I want to thank everyone who has reached out with kindness and support. My focus is on my relationship with the Lord Jesus and my family. This is not conclusion of my journey. 1 Peter 4:17-18.
— Kyle Snyder (@Snyder_man45) May 14, 2025
Snyder thanked those who have reached out in support and said in a social media post on Wednesday that the arrest "is not [the] conclusion of my journey."
During his career, Snyder has won two Olympic medals, earning gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. He also competed at the 2024 Paris Games and finished in fourth place. Snyder plans to compete at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and is training at Penn State under legendary wrestler and coach Cael Sanderson.
At Ohio State, Snyder won three consecutive Big Ten and NCAA championships as a heavyweight. In 2015, he was also part of Ohio State's team conference title. The following year, Snyder became the youngest wrestler ever to earn a "triple crown," winning the World, NCAA and Olympic championships.
Additionally, Snyder recently signed with the Real American Freestyle Wrestling league, which will launch in August under commissioner Hulk Hogan and chief media officer Eric Bischoff. He abandoned aspirations toward a mixed martial arts career to focus on training for the 2028 Olympics.
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