R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in federal prison over allegations of sexual abuse.
R&B singer and songwriter R. Kelly found guilty of racketeering and violations of an anti-sex-trafficking law after 45 witnesses submitted their testimony. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Geddes said,
"You used your fame and power to groom and coach underage boys and girls for your own sexual gratification, We are no longer the preyed-upon individuals we once were."
According to the indictment, Kelly allegedly required his victims to follow "numerous rules" in which they "were not permitted to leave their room without receiving permission, including to eat or go to the bathroom," were "not permitted to look at other men" and "were required to call Kelly 'Daddy.'"
The indictment also accused Kelly of "engaging in sexual activity with girls under 18 years old," failing to disclose "a sexually transmitted disease Kelly had contracted" and producing child pornography by requesting that underage girls send him photographs.
According to Angel Melendez, special agent in charge from Homeland Security Investigations, said in a statement after Kelly's 2019 indictment.
"R. Kelly's enterprise was not only engaged in music; as alleged, for two decades the enterprise at the direction of R. Kelly preyed upon young women and teenagers whose dreams of meeting a superstar, soon turned into a nightmare of rape, child pornography and forced labor,"
Gerald Griggs, an attorney for several of the victims said,
"It's been a long journey for many of the accusers and their family members, My clients have been fighting since 2017, and some others have been fighting for 20 years. Today, the voices of black women were heard loud and clear. This is a process to achieve justice, and they are eagerly awaiting sentencing – as well as his three other trials. Today, justice was served for Robert Sylvester Kelly."
