The New Pornographers drummer charged with possession of child pornography

Yasmine Ghania · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 18, 2025 4:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 minute ago

The drummer of Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers has been charged with possession of child pornography, according to police in the U.S. 

On Thursday, the sheriff's office of Riverside County, Calif., said evidence has implicated Joe Seiders, 44, in two incidents. Police said, on April 7, an 11-year-old boy reported that a man attempted to record him on his cellphone while in a restroom of a Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant.

Two days later, officers said they received a report from an employee at the same restaurant who said a man was "entering and exiting the restroom with juvenile males at the business."

Officers arrived at the restaurant and identified the man as Seiders, police said.

Officers then continued their investigation, serving search warrants for the musician's home, vehicle and cellphone, according to police.

"Evidence was located implicating him in the two reported incidents, along with additional crimes, including possessing child pornography," police said.

Seiders is currently in jail, facing charges of possession of child pornography, annoying/molesting a child, invasion of privacy, and attempted invasion of privacy, jail records show.

His bail is set at $1 million and he's due in court next week. 

A statement from The New Pornographers' Instagram account said "everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified and devastated by the news of the charges." The band said it "immediately severed all ties with him."

The New Pornographers formed in Vancouver in the late '90s.