R. Kelly Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography and Enticement of a Minor
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American R&B singer Robert Kelly, professionally known as R. Kelly, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for child pornography and the enticement of a minor following his conviction in September 2022. But the disgraced rapper will only serve one year in addition to his previous 30-year sentence.
Kelly had a successful career in R&B prior to his initial charge and arrest, but it was plagued by over two decades of allegations that he had sexually abused underage girls. Kelly was indicted on child pornography charges in 2002 but later acquitted in 2008.
However, in 2019, the singer was indicted on ten counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and two federal indictments. Kelly was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in 2021 and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
His most recent sentence was handed down on Thursday after his motion for a new trial was denied last week. Prosecutors called Kelly a serial sexual predator who targeted young girls and requested that he serve 25 years after he completed his 30-year prison sentence.
However, Kelly’s defence team argued that, in reality, the musician was already serving a life sentence and would not pose a threat in his mid-80s if he survived his 30-year sentence. The court ruled today that 19 years of the 20-year prison sentence would be served concurrently, and one year would be served after the 30 years are complete.
Before Kelly’s sentencing was issued, attorney Christopher Brown read a statement from one of his victims, who went by the pseudonym Jane. The woman said that she had lost her dignity and teenage years because of the singer, who recorded himself urinating on her.
“I will forever be the girl that R. Kelly peed on,” Jane said.
The victim disclosed during the trial that Kelly started having sex with her when she was 15. According to Jane, she had denied being the girl in the video because she was afraid something would happen to her parents, and she did not want to be the person in it.