Journey Drummer Deen Castronovo Jailed On Rape Charge

Deen Castronovo, 50, faces new charges of rape and other crimes after a grand jury returned the indictment Monday. He was arrested June 14 in Salem, Oregon, on misdemeanor assault and menacing, then released on bail and ordered to stay away from the female victim.

Castronovo disobeyed by having contact with the woman this past weekend and Monday, leading to three charges of contempt of court, according to the indictment.

The drummer’s attorney, Jeffrey Jones, did not immediately return a phone message. He said two weeks ago that his client was deeply saddened by the accusations of domestic violence and confident that no criminal conduct occurred.

The indictment states Castronovo had sexual intercourse with the victim “by forcible compulsion” between June 8 and June 14. He faces felony charges of assault, sexual abuse and unlawful use of a dangerous weapon, which was a knife he carried on June 13, prosecutors say.

Castronovo, who was booked into the Marion County Jail on Monday evening, was scheduled to enter a plea Tuesday afternoon.

Castronovo has been with Journey since 1998, when he replaced Steve Smith — the drummer on the group’s best-known songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Journey’s Facebook page still lists Castronovo as its drummer, though his legal woes have him sitting out of their shows. The band is scheduled to play in Provo, Utah, on July 4.