Former WWE star Mike “Duke” Droese’s court hearing for his exploitation felony case has been postponed.
The former WWE and USWA star had a hearing scheduled for this morning, which was listed on the docket as a “plea of trial selection”, but this has now been rescheduled for January 14, 2026. It is not known why the hearing was rescheduled, but this hearing was supposed to see if the prosecution could reach a plea agreement with Droese, and if they can’t, the case will go to a criminal trial.
Droese is accused of a class D felony of Attempted Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and was indicted on this charge in May 2025. Droese’s bail was set at $10,000, and his bond was posted immediately after he was booked at the Warren County Sheriff’s Department. A press release was given by Chris Stanford, the District Attorney General for the 31st Judicial District, following Droese’s arrest.
Duke Droese’s WWE History
WWE fans will likely best know Michael Droese as Duke “The Dumpster” Droese, who signed with the company in 1994 and played the gimmick of a garbage man who carried a metal trash can to the ring with him. He debuted on the May 23, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, defeating Barry Horowitz. Droese was mostly used as a jobber and had a notable feud with Triple H, who at the time was still under his Hunter Hearts Helmsley moniker. Their feud culminated with Triple H winning their In Your House Six match on February 18, 1996.
Droese left the WWE in the summer of 1996 due to being unable to handle the demands of the company’s extensive travel schedule. He returned at WrestleMania 17 in the gimmick battle royal and was eliminated by Doink the Clown.
