American Idol star Benjamin Glaze sentenced to 25 years on ch!ld p0rn charges

Benjamin Glaze, the former American Idol contestant who went viral after being kissed by Katy Perry during his audition, has been sentenced to prison following his 2024 arrest for possessing ch!ld p0rn.

According to a statement released by the Tulsa Police Department, Glaze pleaded guilty on September 15 and received a 25-year sentence. Of that, 15 years will be served in custody while the remaining 10 years are suspended. In addition, he is required to register as a s3x offender.

Glaze was first arrested in 2024 after Tulsa’s S3xual Predator/Digital Evidence Recovery Unit received a tip that he was in possession of child sexual abuse material. Authorities executed a search warrant and reported discovering more than 700 images and videos involving minors on his smartphone.

The 26-year-old was subsequently charged with aggravated possession of ch!ld p0rn and booked into the Tulsa County Jail before being released on a $50,000 bond.

Glaze initially rose to public attention during Season 16 of American Idol in 2018 when, at 19 years old, he admitted to judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie that he had never kissed a girl. Although the judges declined to send him to Hollywood, Perry kissed him unexpectedly, a controversial moment that sparked widespread backlash.

Glaze later said the interaction made him uncomfortable, but he reversed his stance afterward, clarifying that he did not believe Perry had sexually assaulted him.

Now, his reputation has been further overshadowed by his conviction and lengthy prison sentence, marking a grim turn for the once-viral contestant.