American Idol contestant who said he received his first kiss from Katy Perry sentenced on child porn charges
Benjamin Glaze claimed that kissing Perry made him ‘uncomfortable’ when he appeared on American Idol
An American Idol contestant who said that he received his first kiss from Katy Perry has been jailed for 25 years in Oklahoma.
Benjamin Glaze, 26, was convicted of aggravated possession of child sexual abuse material last week.
The Tulsa Police Department said that they first received reports about Glaze's activities in April 2024 and later uncovered 700 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse on his device.
The former singer, originally from Oklahoma, was arrested and charged with aggravated possession of child sexual abuse material in October 2024.
He later pleaded guilty to the charges.
Benjamin Glaze kissed Katy Perry when he appeared on American Idol during the show’s sixteenth season
Benjamin Glaze kissed Katy Perry when he appeared on American Idol during the show’s sixteenth season (ABC)
He will now serve 15 years in custody, with an additional 10 years suspended. Glaze will also have to register as a sex offender.
The singer gained widespread recognition after appearing on Season 16 of American Idol, where he auditioned in front of judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie.
He was 19 years old at the time and claimed to the judges that he had never kissed a girl before.
Although his rendition of Nick Jonas’ “Level” did not get him through to the next stage of the competition, Katy Perry kissed Glaze in a controversial move.
“Yeah, I got him,” she was heard saying after they kissed.
“I really enjoyed meeting you today. You gave my heart a flutter.
“I think you’re really sweet,” she added.
Glaze later told The New York Times that he wanted his first kiss to be “special.”
Benjamin Glaze has been jailed for 15 years, with an additional suspended 10 years
Benjamin Glaze has been jailed for 15 years, with an additional suspended 10 years (Tulsa Police Department)
Perry became the center of a social media firestorm, with some viewers claiming that kissing Glaze was inappropriate.
At the time, Glaze took to Facebook to say that he was “not complaining about the kiss from Katy Perry at all.”
"I am very honoured and thankful to have been a part of American Idol... I do wish I would have performed better in the moment.
"I should have picked another song to sing and calmed myself down regardless of the kiss. I should have been able to perform under pressure.
"I do not think I was sexually harassed by Katy Perry and I am thankful for the judges' comments and critiques. I was uncomfortable in a sense of how I have never been kissed before and was not expecting it,” he wrote.
Since appearing on the show, Glaze joined the Marines in 2019 and served in Japan. According to his LinkedIn page, Glaze was also working as a video editor for business videos.
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Gay Adult Film Actor Justin Heath Smith, known as Austin Wolf, Sentenced To 19 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation
Screen grab of Austin Wolfe at John Reed Fitness in West Hollywood via his now cancelled X
Screen grab of Austin Wolfe at John Reed Fitness in West Hollywood via his now cancelled X
Gay adult film actor Justin Heath Smith, more famously known as Austin Wolf, was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Monday for “enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and for engaging in a pattern of activity involving prohibited sexual conduct. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that Smith’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who also presided over the guilty plea.
Clayton, called Smith’s crimes against children horrible. “He targeted kids as young as seven, and every New Yorker wants him and those like him off our streets for as long as possible and never again near our children,” he said via a statement. “The women and men of our Office, and our law enforcement partners, are laser focused on ridding our streets of those who sexually exploit our children. The message to predators from our Office is clear: there is no place for you in New York other than prison.”
According to the disturbing information, provided in the plea agreement, and statements made in court:
Since at least 2023, Smith has repeatedly preyed on and tried to sexually exploit minor victims. In late 2023 or early 2024, SMITH and an adult male (“Male-1”) met with a 15-year-old minor, during which Male-1 performed oral sex on the minor while Smith masturbated. Smith also had sex at least three times with an individual whom Smith believed was 15 years old, but who was in fact an adult. Smith recorded one such encounter, a threesome with Male-1.
Smith tried to make other arrangements to meet with other minors to engage in sexual activity. In January 2024, Smith made plans with another male (“Male-2”) to sexually abuse a purported nine-year-old child that Male-2 claimed to be babysitting. Smith traveled to Male-2’s building for the encounter, which Male-2 called off while Smith was waiting downstairs. In February 2024, Smith also made plans to meet a purported 14-year-old for sex, including discussing the specific sex act that the purported minor would perform on Smith. He provided his cross-streets so that the purported minor could travel to his apartment. The planned encounter did not ultimately occur.
Smith also solicited child sexual abuse material from at least one minor and multiple individuals who purported to be minors. For example, Smith communicated with a 15-year-old minor and, after the minor told SMITH his age, Smith asked the minor for sexually explicit materials. The minor then sent Smith a video showing the minor’s penis and anus. Smith also communicated with an individual online whose username contained the phrase “12M,” suggesting that the user was a 12-year-old male. Smith and the purported minor appear to have exchanged sexual photographs and discussed a possible meeting location.
Prior to his arrest, Smith made plans to meet with an individual who claimed to be the father of a seven-year-old child and who offered to make the child available to Smith for sexual abuse. Federal law enforcement executed a search warrant on Smith’s residence before the planned encounter could occur. Following that search, Smith was found in possession of approximately 1,291 files containing child pornography, including around 75 files showing infants or toddlers and some videos depicting the violent rape of young children. Smith also shared child pornography with at least 15 other individuals.
Anyone who believes they have information concerning the exploitation of children is urged to contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
In addition to the prison term, SMITH, 44, of New York, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and a $40,000 fine.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Getzel Berger is in charge of the prosecution.
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