The Oklahoma singer, recently arrested, created buzz with his unexpected kiss with judge Katy Perry.
A former “American Idol” contestant who made news in 2018 for a kiss from judge Katy Perry during his audition has been arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography.
26-year-old Benjamin Glaze was taken into custody by the Tulsa Police Department on Friday based on a warrant, according to records from the Tulsa County District Court reviewed by YSL News on Tuesday. He faces a felony charge for aggravated possession of child pornography and posted a $50,000 bond on Monday.
Glaze’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday morning, where he is anticipated to enter a plea.
The Tulsa Police provided details about their investigation regarding Glaze’s alleged illegal actions in a Facebook update published on the day of his arrest.
“In April 2024, the Tulsa Police Sexual Predator/Digital Evidence Recovery Unit (Spider Unit) received tips about criminal activity involving Benjamin Glaze, a 26-year-old from Tulsa. The report suggested that Glaze possessed child sexual abuse material,” the post states.
During a search of Glaze’s home, police reportedly found a smartphone containing more than 700 images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
A spokesperson for Glaze’s legal representation was unavailable for comment.
Glaze’s audition aired in the Season 16 premiere of “American Idol” back in March 2018. At the time, he was a 19-year-old cashier who performed an acoustic rendition of Nick Jonas’ “Levels” for judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry. When Perry discovered that he had never kissed anyone before, she invited him to her side of the table to kiss her cheek.
Ultimately, the judges decided not to advance him to the next stage, stating that he needed to further refine his skills.
“Benjamin, I really enjoyed meeting you today,” Perry remarked. “You made my heart flutter. I think you’re really sweet. Honestly, some contestants are just outshining you at the moment. It wouldn’t be fair to put you in that competition now. Next time, take a little extra time. I sensed some rush in your performance, possibly because I expedited your heartbeat.”
After the episode aired, Glaze took to Instagram to clarify in a now-deleted post that he did not believe Perry had sexually harassed him.
