Randy Madden, who was on Season 8 of American Idol, left a courthouse in Ventura County, California on Thursday without saying anything to reporters. The 45-year-old is dealing with some very serious criminal charges. He was seen walking out with a cane in one hand and his phone in the other.
According to TMZ, a group of photographers was waiting outside, wanting to hear what Madden had to say about why he was in court. They kept asking him questions about the charges he is facing, but he did not look up or respond to anyone. He just got into a car and left without saying a single word.
The former singing competition contestant is refusing to address the allegations as he deals with six felony charges connected to claims he had sexual contact with someone under 18. The charges he is facing include oral copulation with a minor, unlawful sex, penetration with a foreign object, sending inappropriate material, trying to lure someone, and attempting to stop a witness from reporting what happened.
He’s staying silent for now
Court papers from Ventura County say the charges are based on at least one incident that happened sometime between July and September this year. Officials have not said exactly how old the person was, but the charges make it clear they were younger than 18 when everything happened.
Madden told the court he is not guilty of any of the charges. He paid his bail money and got out of jail, but the judge gave him some very clear rules to follow. The biggest one is that he cannot try to talk to or contact the person who says he did these things.
The court date Madden showed up for on Thursday did not end up happening. The hearing got pushed back to sometime in January, though nobody has explained why it got delayed. Madden was part of the eighth season of American Idol back in 2009. The singing show judges did not vote yes for him during his audition, and he did not make it very far in the competition.
His case is still going through the court system, and he will need to come back in January when they reschedule everything. While he waits, he has to follow all the rules the judge set, especially the one about not reaching out to the person involved in the case. Both sides will keep getting ready for the next court hearing in the coming weeks.
Published: Nov 14, 2025 03:15 pm