Two Women Detail Alleged Sexual Exploitation By Brand New’s Jesse Lacey

Josh Brasted/Getty Images

Two Women Detail Alleged Sexual Exploitation By Brand New’s Jesse Lacey

Josh Brasted/Getty Images

Brand New frontman Jesse Lacey issued a statement over the weekend in response to allegations that he’d solicited nude photos from a 15-year-old girl when he was 24. In the statement, Lacey apologized and detailed his history with sex addiction and infidelity, but did not reference the alleged incident directly.

Early this morning, Brand New announced that the remaining dates of their Science Fiction tour have been postponed “due to the events of the last few days.” Now, two women have come forward to Pitchfork to share details of Lacey’s alleged exploitation of minors.

One of the women Pitchfork spoke to is Nicole Elizabeth Garey, who alleged that Lacey solicited nude photos of her when she was 15 and he was 24. Garey originally came forward with the allegations in a widely-circulated Facebook post that has since been deleted. Garey claims she first met Lacey in 2003 while photographing a Brand New concert and Lacey gave her his email address. The two began corresponding over instant messenger and Lacey allegedly asked Garey to send him nude photos of herself multiple times, which she agreed to do.

The second woman, Emily Driskill, claims she was 16 when she met Lacey in 2002 for an interview, during which Lacey allegedly commented on her body and breasts. Driskill was a Brand New fan and she told Pitchfork that, “He was the first person to ever tell me that I was hot. In hindsight as an adult woman, I know I was preyed on.” Their correspondence continued when Lacey allegedly solicited nude photos from Driskill when she was 17. Driskill also claims that Lacey would masturbate during their video chats and would ask her to engage in sexual situations with others on camera for him; when she expressed discomfort, he would allegedly threaten to restrict her access to the band. At 18, Driskill went to a Brand New concert where Lacey allegedly kissed and touched her without her consent in a green room.

Brand New did not respond to Pitchfork’s request for comment on their report. Read the full story here.

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