A New York man with more that 1 million TikTok followers is accused of sexually assaulting multiple victims over the course of a decade.
Benjamin “Benji” Gleason is believed to have abused seven women between the ages of 17 and 27 from 2011 to 2021, according to the Columbia County District Attorney.
The 39-year-old suspect faces 17 felony charges — including three counts of first-degree rape and predatory sexual assault. He was arrested Friday by New York State Police.
Prosecutors said Gleason lived in the Chatham area, but recently relocated to Castelton-on-Hudson motel. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. The District Attorney’s office said the suspect faces life in prison if convicted.
Authorities are asking that anyone with information on the defendant to contact law enforcement. He’s back in court April 29.
Gleason has 1.1 million followers on TikTok where he refers to himself as “an American artist, and your girlfriend’s favorite influencer.”
He plays guitar, lip syncs and sells merchandise to finance badly needed dental work on that platform. Gleason showed off his new passport in October and asked followers where he should go first.
The accused predator admitted in February that he spent a good deal of his childhood seeing a psychiatrist.
“Can you believe it?” he asks.
Gleason confessed last month that he was a “short and fat” kid who grew to be tall, thin and tattooed.
His TikTok followers were quick to post notice of Gleason’s arrest on his account.