Uncle Kracker in the Dock for Unlawful Sexual Act

Uncle Kracker, the former DJ of Kid Rock, seemed to live up to his album title No Stranger to Shame after he got himself arrested for performing an unlawful and forced sexual act on a woman inside a nightclub.

33-year old Uncle Kracker, who is actually called Matthew Shafer, ran into serious trouble in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he had gone to perform at the Ess Lounge. The Raleigh Police Department said a 26-year old woman who was in the same nightclub had complained that Kracker had performed an unlawful sexual act on her while in the club.

The woman complained to an off duty police officer who was working at the club. The police conducted an investigation and arrested Uncle Kracker from a neighboring Embassy Suites Hotel around 4:45 a.m. Friday morning.

A statement released by the police department said Kracker and the woman were not acquaintances. The police have slapped a charge of second-degree forcible sex on Kracker. He was taken to Wake County Jail and booked there.

A copy of the arrest warrant served on Kracker accused him of ‘unlawfully, willfully and feloniously [engaging] in a sexual act other than vaginal intercourse’ with the woman. It also said the act was non consensual. Police have, however, not been forthcoming about the exact nature of the crime.

Initially, the court set bail for Uncle Kracker at a high $5 million, after police told the court he had hinted at the possibility of jumping bail and going back to Michigan. This, according to the court, made him a flight risk, and hence the high bail sum. However, a later hearing at the court authorized Kracker’s release on posting a sum of $75,000.

Kracker started his musical career working as a DJ for a strip club in Detroit. Soon he was working with childhood friend Kid Rock, something that earned him the popularity and visibility he was looking for.

Uncle Kracker came out with his own album in 2000. The album, called Double Wide, had the hit Follow Me, which went on to sell more than 2 million copies. He parted company with Kid Rock in 2002 and has since released No Stranger to Shame and Seventy Two and Sunny.

He also has a hit country number; a duet with Kenny Chesney titled When the Sun Goes Down.