Ex American Idol Contestant Arrested For Child Porn Could Get 20 Years In Prison

A former American Idol contestant was arrested after officials found child pornography on his phone. Benjamin Glaze was charged with one count of aggravated possession of child pornography. Glaze posted a $50K bond.

Officials with the Tulsa Police Department say they received a tip in April of this year regarding content on his phone, which allegedly includes over “700 images and videos of child sexual abuse material.” The Spider Unit, or Sexual Predator/Digital Evidence Recovery Unit, obtained an arrest warrant for his home where they found the phone. Their Facebook post shows a picture of Glaze with a caption clarifying that “this is an arrest and not a conviction.” The post has been shared over 200 times with nearly 400 comments.

Although he hasn’t been convicted, if he’s found guilty he could do some serious time. In Oklahoma, possession of child porn carries major penalties. According to Oklahoma-based legal firm, Wirth Law Office, “If you are caught in possession of a single image of child pornography or buying or procuring such an image, you could be subject to up to 20 years in prison and face a fine of up to $25,000.”

Glaze appeared on Season 16 of the reality show which aired in 2018. He made headlines not for his performance but rather when Judge Katy Perry kissed him. He had told the judges that he had never kissed anyone, and Perry invited him over to her, where she offered her cheek and after a second attempt, turned her head to meet his lips with hers. A public outcry came afterward, saying that Perry was inappropriately behaving with the then 19-year-old.

Glaze told The New York Times that he didn’t feel as if the stunt was a sexual assault however, he was hoping for something different for the milestone of a first kiss.

“Would I have done it if she said, ‘Would you kiss me?’ No. I would have said no. I know a lot of guys would be like ‘Heck yeah!’ But for me, I was raised in a conservative family and I was uncomfortable immediately. I wanted my first kiss to be special,” he said.

The show was not a catapult to fame for Glaze, instead he is shown holding his guitar waiting for his turn to be called. He told the judges that he enjoyed working as a cashier at a local store because it gave him the chance to meet girls. Despite the job opportunity, Glaze says he had not yet in fact, kissed a girl. He gave his performance of Nick Jonas’ song “Levels.” The judges decided to ultimately not send Glaze to Hollywood telling him he needed to work on his skill more. Judge Lionel Richie commenting after the kiss, “What has this show turned into?” He tells Glaze to practice and return to the show a few years later and to “Put it on us again. I’m gonna give you a no, but you’ve already scored major.”

Perry served as a judge on the show for seven seasons, beginning the year Glaze came to audition. Working next to Richie and Luke Bryan she was eventually replaced by country singer Carrie Underwood. But her departure from the show wasn’t without a bit of drama. She faced backlash after she “mom-shamed” a contestant as well as making a statement about gun violence. She released her 7th studio album on September 20, titled 143. The album isn’t garnering much love with her fans or critics.