Joe Seiders, who played drums and keyboards in the New Pornographers, has been arrested for possession of child pornography, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. According to online records, Seiders was arrested on April 9 and remains in jail with his bail set at $1 million.
In a statement shared with Pitchfork, a spokesperson for the New Pornographers said: “Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified, and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders—and we have immediately severed all ties with him. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by his actions.”
According to the news release and online records, police officers responded to “a suspicious circumstance” at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Palm Desert, California, on Monday, April 7. An 11-year-old boy told the officers that “an unknown male adult recorded him on a cell phone while he was using the restroom at the location.”
Two days later, police responded to an incident at the same restaurant, where an employee said that “a male was entering and exiting the restroom with juvenile males at the business.” The man was identified as Seiders, and he was apprehended by police and taken into custody.
Following Seiders’ arrest, officials searched his residence, vehicle, and cell phone and found evidence implicating him in the two Chick-fil-A incidents and additional crimes, according to the news release.
In addition to the felony charge of possession of child pornography, Seiders was booked on misdemeanors charges of annoying/molesting a child, invasion of privacy, and attempted invasion of privacy. Records show that he has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is due in court on Tuesday, April 22.
Joe Seiders joined the New Pornographers after the release of their 2014 album Brill Bruisers, replacing longtime drummer Kurt Dahle. He played on 2017’s Whiteout Conditions, 2019’s In the Morse Code of Brake Lights, 2023’s Continue as a Guest, and the recent single “Ballad of the Last Payphone,” and he toured with the band consistently until his dismissal.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
