Carsen Richards, a professional musician who performed behind country star Chase Matthew, has been arrested in connection with charges related to underage sex and incest, involving an autistic child. Richards, 22, was taken into custody in Owensboro, Kentucky on Saturday, facing numerous charges in Clark County, according to the Owensboro Times and the Messenger-Inquirer, citing court records.
Charges and Allegations
Richards faces two counts of second-degree sodomy and two counts of incest involving a person under 18 by a person three or more years older, according to court records. He is accused of sexually abusing a child in December 2020, when the child was 12, and again in December 2022, when the child was 14, as detailed in a criminal complaint from the Winchester Police Department.
The child, who informed their mother of the alleged incidents in November 2025 and a child advocacy organization the following month, has been diagnosed as Autistic Level 1 by Vanderbilt University Hospital, according to the complaint. The child's mother spoke with Richards on February 12 outside his Hendersonville, Tennessee residence, where he allegedly admitted he made an awful mistake.
Chase Matthew's Response
Matthew, 28, expressed being truly disturbed and disgusted by the details of these allegations in a statement on Instagram after Richards' arrest. He said his heart breaks for anyone affected. Upon first hearing the allegations, he felt sick to his stomach and stated he would never associate with someone remotely capable of such acts, much less hire them. The country vocalist noted that people do not always know what others do outside the workplace, and nothing would have led him to believe this was possible.
As a result of Richards' arrest, he was immediately removed from the band and is no longer associated with Matthew or his team. Matthew emphasized he does not support or tolerate such behavior and is learning about the case in real time. He trusts the legal system will follow correct procedures to get to the bottom of this ongoing matter.
Arrest Details
Owensboro Police Department Public Information Officer Mark Hammonds detailed the efforts to take Richards into custody at the BBQ and Barrels event. Plans were complicated by reports that the musician had access to multiple firearms and was frequently armed. Authorities in Owensboro were alerted by Winchester Police Department investigators that Richards, expected in town for the event, was wanted on felony charges.
Hammonds described a safety-focused operation plan developed by the criminal investigations division, aimed at identifying and arresting Richards while reducing the likelihood of a violent armed encounter in a crowded environment. Richards was identified while performing and arrested at approximately 9:40 p.m., after he exited the stage and before he could reach a tour bus, away from the main crowd. Hammonds noted that confidentiality was paramount, and event organizers were not notified of the impending arrest.
Richards was confirmed unarmed at the time of arrest and transported to the Daviess County Detention Center, where he remains in custody on a $75,000 cash bond.
