Professional bowler Brandon Novak facing 15 child pornography charges after mid-tournament arrest

Brandon Novak, a professional bowler, was arrested during the 2024 U.S. Open tournament Feb. 1 and is facing 15 child pornography charges, according to CNN.

Novak was originally booked at the Marion County jail in Indianapolis — the city hosting the bowling tournament at Royal Pin Woodland — but was extradited to the Ross County jail in Ohio earlier this week, according to the Associated Press.

Ross County’s jail log lists Feb. 22 as Novak’s booking date, and he’s charged with five counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and 10 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material.

Novak remains in custody, and WCMH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Fort Wayne, reported that he’ll have a pre-trial hearing March 21.

U.S. Marshals arrested Novak during the tournament earlier this month after a “secret indictment” led to a warrant in Ross County, according to the AP.

At the time, Ross County assistant prosecutor Cindy Schumaker said that additional information about the case wouldn’t become public information until Novak was extradited, the AP reported.

A video from the U.S. Open captured Novak throwing his first ball in the eighth frame of his second game, and after he walked out of the camera’s view, his arrest allegedly occurred, according to the YouTube video’s description.

One participant in the tournament — in the lane next to where Novak was allegedly bowling — turned his head toward what CNN described as “some commotion.”

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Novak has been under investigation since February 2023, when Chillicothe, Ohio police were notified about Novak’s Facebook account being associated with child pornography.

That led to a search warrant, and according to CNN, Novak admitted to purchasing the pornographic material via Snapchat but initially denied to police that he knew that it contained child pornography.

His answer later changed, though, and the Dispatch reported that Novak was “taking steps to conceal” the child pornography, according to CNN.

Novak’s profile has been removed from the Professional Bowlers Association’s website.

The AP reported that the 35-year-old has won two tournaments and competed in those events for more than 10 years.