Electronic music producer Bassnectar is asking a federal judge to dismiss a long-running civil lawsuit accusing him of allegedly sexually abusing three underage girls, arguing that all three alleged victims lied about their ages and had themselves instigated the relationships.

Attorneys for DJ (Lorin Ashton) filed a motion on Monday (Nov. 4) in Nashville federal court arguing that the case did not need to be decided by a jury because the discovery process had revealed that there was allegedly no merit to the allegations.

In an article from Billboard, the Attorneys for Ashton released a statement in response to the investigation over Ashton’s alleged conduct toward the three women:

“Discovery has confirmed that when each of the plaintiffs first contacted defendant, they lied not only about their ages, but also their level of education, as well as their work and life experience. Each plaintiff admitted to deceiving defendant into believing that she was over the age of eighteen.”

Further statements from Ashton’s lawyers have also expressed that the investigation over Ashton’s alleged conduct was “never forced in any way” and that the plaintiffs were made “crystal clear “that any sexual relationship with him was entirely “consensual and mutual”.

The filing comes more than three years after the three women – Rachel Ramsbottom, Alexis Bowling and Jenna Houston filed their lawsuit, accusing Ashton of allegedly using his ‘power’ and influence to groom and ultimately sexually victimize underage girls.”

The lawsuit, which accuses Ashton of alleged sex trafficking, child pornography and negligence, claims that the star would invite minors to his shows, bring them to a hotel room and provide “large sums of cash and other items of value” in exchange for sex.

With Monday’s reply from Ashton’s attorneys, the case is now in the hands of the judge, who will decide in the coming weeks or months whether to order a jury trial or dismiss the accusations. Attorneys for both sides declined to comment.

Photo Credit: Mehreen Rizvi