Karl Logan, the former guitarist of heavy metal band Manowar, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for possession of child pornography earlier this month by a federal judge in Charlotte, North Carolina. Manowar fired Logan, 57, after he was arrested in 2018. In July 2020, he pleaded guilty to two child pornography accounts.
Logan was sentenced on July 11, a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman told the Charlotte Observer. He is free until the federal Bureau of Prisons assigns him a prison, as Judge Max Cogburn Jr. allowed Logan to report himself to prison. Logan’s attorney, Brad Smith of Charlotte, has not released a statement on the sentencing yet.
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The guitarist, born Karl Mojaleski, was arrested in Charlotte in August 2018. He was originally charged with six felony counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor linked to allegedly possessing child pornography. In 2019, the case was moved to federal court and a grand jury indicted Logan on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography. He faced up to 25 years in prison. In July 2020, he entered a guilty plea on two child pornography counts. Logan downloaded images from the internet, according to court documents.
Logan joined Manowar in 1994 and played guitar and keyboard for the band. Days after news of Logan’s arrest surfaced, the band fired him. “With regard to Karl Logan’s arrest and the charges against him: Due to the fact that Karl and his attorneys are dealing with these issues, he will not perform with Manowar. The new album and upcoming tour will not be affected,” the group said in October 2018. E.V. Martel replaced Manowar.
Manowar was founded in 1980. Singer Eric Adams and bassist Joey DeMaio are the last remaining founding members still with the band. The group is now on their Crushing the Enemies of Metal Anniversary Tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album, Battle Hymns. The group hasn’t released a new album since 2014 but they continue to record EPs and singles. Their latest EP, Highlights from the Revenge of Odysseus, was released in June.
Part of The Revenge of Odysseus was recorded in Greece. DeMaio traveled to Athens to record narration from father-and-son team Kostas and Konstantinos Kazakos. “It was a pleasure and privilege to work with Kostas and Konstantinos, Sakis, and everyone else who was involved in this narration,” DeMaio said in a statement to Blabbermouth. “I call Kostas ‘the Greek Orson Welles’, not only because these two giants share many remarkable talents and outstanding voices, but also for being equally passionate to deliver a perfect narration while being humble and kind at the same time! We can’t wait to share everything with our fans.”
