The bassist for country singer Chase Matthews was arrested at a festival in Kentucky and charged with child sex crimes.
Carsen Richards, 22, who was arrested on Saturday, is accused of sexually abusing an autistic boy who was 12 and 14 years old in 2020 and 2022, LEX18 reported.
Footage shared on TikTok shows Richards being surrounded by police after performing at the BBQ & Barrels event in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Police waited until the Tennessee-born guitarist had left the stage before arresting him, fearing he was in possession of a weapon.
Richards has since been charged with sodomy and incest of a person under the age of 18 by a person over the age of three, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The boy’s mother reported the alleged abuse to Winchester police last November, and the boy admitted the allegations during a police interview the following month.
According to court documents obtained by the Owensboro Times, Richards confronted the woman outside her Hendersonville apartment on February 12th.
“I have never had more regrets in my life,” he said, adding later that he had “made a terrible mistake.”
According to Vanderbilt University, the alleged victim has Level 1 autism, which means he has the lowest level of support.
Matthew, known for his smash hit “Love You Again,” later fired Richards.
“Honestly, this situation has been one of the most shocking and heartbreaking things I’ve ever experienced,” the 28-year-old singer-songwriter wrote on Instagram.
“When I first heard about this allegation, it made me sick to my stomach. I would never associate myself with someone who seemed remotely capable of something like this, much less hire them on my team.”
“The reality is you don’t always know what someone is doing outside of their workplace. I just couldn’t believe that was possible.”
Matthew said: “I do not support or condone this type of behavior.
“I am truly disturbed and disgusted by the details of these allegations. My heart breaks for those affected.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call our Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
