Who is Jon Reep and why was he arrested? Charges explored as Hickory native and 'Last Comic Standing' winner is hit with 10 counts

Jon Reep has been recently taken into custody on ten charges related to the s*xual exploitation of a minor. Notably, the comedian and actor has built a huge fan base with his portrayal of Gerald Bob in Rodney and has appeared in some films as well.

Reep was indicted earlier this week on September 2, 2025, following which he was arrested around three days later, as per People magazine. Apart from a charge of second-degree s*xual exploitation, nine counts of third-degree s*xual exploitation were imposed on him.

The CMT Comedy Club star was supposed to appear in North Carolina after being arrested. However, his performance has been rescheduled, and further updates on the new date are currently awaited.

Hickory Police Department shared the details of Jon Reep’s arrest on their official Facebook account, stating that he was taken to the Catawba County Detention Facility and even received a secured bond of $260,000.

The cops even opened up on the circumstances leading to Jon’s latest legal issue.

“On April 15, 2025, The Hickory Police Department received an Internet Crimes Against Children cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that concerned child s*xual abuse material. During the initial investigation, it was discovered that the account associated with this cyber tip belonged to Jonathan David Reep, 53, of Hickory”, the post reads.

The police then arrived at the location associated with the IP address from the cyber tip with a search warrant.

The authorities managed to discover electronic devices, and their forensic analysis was conducted immediately.

The indictment against Reep was issued after the entire case was presented to the Grand Jury of Catawba County.

Jon Reep has been a part of many films and TV shows

Reep began pursuing his passion for comedy after completing his higher studies at North Carolina State University, as per his biography on Laugh Factory. He then arrived in Los Angeles more than 20 years ago to establish himself as an actor.

Laugh Factory also stated that Jon Reep’s shows were usually sold out at the beginning of his journey as a comedian.

He even performed at different colleges, and despite being busy with his acting, he continued appearing at events such as the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

According to the Goldsboro Daily News, Jon was featured in the Dodge Ram truck commercials, where his catchphrase “That thing got a hemi” became famous among the general public.

Reep said that people continue using the catchphrase while approaching him and added:

“It really put my face put there, made my face recognizable, but not so much my name because I was just an actor in a commercial.”

Jon Reep managed to improve his comedy skills throughout his career. He told Goldsboro Daily News that he was an individual who opted to prepare everything like a story, and there was a point where he stopped following the script.

Jon has only three films in his credits, released with huge gaps between each other. This includes Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Into the Storm, and Poker Run.

However, Reep’s television career has made him famous among everyone, where he portrayed himself on multiple shows like Comedy Central Presents, Late Friday, MADtv, Last Comic Standing, Metro Jethro, and more.

He has also played minor roles on other shows, including American Dad! and Curb Your Enthusiasm.