Benjamin Glaze: Former American Idol Contestant Arrested for Alleged Possession of Child Abuse Material

Benjamin Glaze, known for his appearance on American Idol season 16, was recently taken into custody on October 18, 2024, charged with possessing child p*rnography materials. Six years ago, he garnered attention when Katy Perry kissed him during his audition for the renowned singing competition.

The Tulsa Police Department disclosed the details of Benjamin’s arrest through an official post on Facebook. The notice indicated that their S*xual Predator/Digital Evidence Recovery Unit, referred to as the Spider Unit, had gathered information regarding his illicit activities. The announcement elaborated:

“As part of the ongoing investigation, the Spider Unit secured a search warrant for Glaze’s home. A smartphone was retrieved during the search, which contained more than 700 images and videos depicting child s*xual abuse material.”

The statement also noted that an arrest warrant for Benjamin Glaze was issued, with charges of “Aggravated Possession of Child S*xual Abuse Material.”He has since been moved to the Tulsa County Jail, although it was mentioned that he has not yet been convicted.

Glaze was later released after posting a bond of $50,000, and further details regarding his court date and other pertinent information are being awaited from the authorities.

An Overview of Benjamin Glaze’s American Idol Journey and Career

As previously highlighted, Benjamin’s participation in the ABC reality series in 2018 became a point of contention after his kiss with Katy Perry. It’s important to note that this wasn’t his first audition for the show.

According to Daily Mail, Benjamin had initially auditioned for American Idol in 2015. In his second try, he attempted to impress the judges with Nick Jonas’s song “Levels”but unfortunately did not move on to the second round.

Before performing, Glaze informed the judging panel that he had never dated anyone or shared a kiss with a girl. This moment subsequently led to Katy Perry’s kiss, which prompted negative reactions across various social media platforms.

In a conversation with The New York Times in March 2018, Benjamin reflected on this experience, mentioning that it made him feel “a tad bit uncomfortable.”He expressed that he wished for his “first kiss”to be something special, stating:

“Would I have done it if she said, ‘Would you kiss me?’ No, I would have said no. I know many guys might say, ‘Heck, yeah!’ But for me, I come from a conservative background and felt uncomfortable right away.”

After the backlash, Benjamin Glaze took to Instagram to clarify that he did not feel s*xually harassed, a post that has since been deleted. He explained that his interactions with the media, coupled with certain news articles, caused misconceptions, saying:

“The way some articles are phrased does not reflect my views, and my intentions are not always accurately portrayed in each piece you read about the events. I’m not unhappy about the kiss; in fact, I’m grateful to have been part of American Idol… I do not believe I was s*xually harassed by Katy Perry, and I appreciate the judges’ comments and critiques.”

In other news, Katy Perry recently made her last appearance as a judge on American Idol this year. She shared this information on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in February 2024, stating that she is now focused on creating new music for her fans.

Source