Journey drummer Deen Castronovo, facing rape charge, is held without bail
Journey drummer Deen Castronovo is in jail facing a rape charge — and more — and that’s where he’s going to stay after a judge in an Oregon court declined to set bail.
Just weeks after being arrested in what police described as a situation involving domestic violence, the musician was again booked after a grand jury returned its indictment Monday, the Associated Press reported. Castronovo, 50, has not yet entered a plea.
On Tuesday, the Statesman-Journal in Salem, Ore., rattled off the charges on the indictment: five counts of fourth-degree assault, two of menacing and one each of first-degree rape, unlawful use of a weapon (a knife), second-degree assault, second-degree sex abuse, coercion and second-degree criminal mischief.
Add to that three counts of contempt of court for allegedly contacting the victim multiple times after he was ordered by a judge to stay away from her. According to prosecutors, he texted 122 times and called her 35 times, the AP said. The defense was asking for minimum bail.
Castronovo had been arrested early June 14 on charges of fourth-degree assault and menacing, then released from custody after posting $20,000 bail.
Among the other charges, he’s now accused of having sexual intercourse with the victim “by forcible compulsion” between June 8 and June 14, the AP said.
Back in January 2012, Castronovo was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend, TMZ reported. He cut a deal to take anger-management classes and do 80 hours of community service.
He’s been booted from the “Don’t Stop Believing” band, which he joined in 1998, at least until his legal problems are worked out.
“We Journey have made the decision to have Omar Hakim play drums for the band’s upcoming U.S. concerts (Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, June 20, and the Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah on Saturday, July 4), as well as the band’s Canadian tour (July 6 – August 3), due to Deen Castronovo’s pending issues,” the band said June 18 on its Facebook page. “We are very grateful to Omar filling in with his musical excellence.”
Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.
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