Country music ‘disturbed and disgusted’ after band member is hit with shocking charges

Chase Matthew, left, and Lauren Alaina perform at New Faces of Country Music during Country Radio Seminar on Friday, March 21, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Country music star Chase Matthew is not waiting for the case to go to trial.

The singer took to social media on Monday to announce that he had parted ways with bassist Carsen Richards after Richards was arrested on some disturbing charges.

Matthew issued a statement following the arrest.

“The situation has honestly been one of the most shocking and heartbreaking things I have ever experienced,” he wrote on Instagram. “When I first heard the allegations, I was sick to my stomach. I would never associate myself with a person I think could even be remotely capable of something like this, much less hire them to be on my team.”

“The reality is, you don’t always know what someone may be doing outside of your workplace, and nothing would have made me believe this was a possibility,” he continued. “As of his arrest this past weekend, this individual was immediately removed from the band and is no longer associated with me or my team in any capacity. And I want to be very clear: I do no support or tolerate behavior of this kind whatsoever.”

The Owensboro Times reported that Richards, 22, was arrested in Owensboro, Kentucky, on May 9 after the BBQ & Barrels concert and charged with two counts of second-degree sodomy and two counts of incest involving a person under 18 by a person three or more years or older.

The outlet reported that Richards is accused of carrying out the actions between December 2020 and December 2022. Richards was booked into the Daviess County Detention Center and is being held on $75,000 bond.

“I am truly disturbed and disgusted by the details of these allegations,” Matthew wrote. “My heart breaks for anyone affected.

“Like you, I’m learning this information as it comes out publicly. I don’t know anything more than y’all know. This is an ongoing legal matter, and I trust that the legal system will go through the correct procedures to get to the bottom of this.”