Renowned singer R. Kelly has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a federal s** crimes case in Chicago.
This sentence includes 19 years that will be served concurrently with his previous New York sentence.
Kelly’s convictions in Chicago are related to child p0rn0 and enticement charges.
In September, he was found guilty on three counts of producing child p0rn0 and three counts of enticing a minor to engage in s**ual activity.
Prosecutors had recommended an additional 25-year sentence to be served consecutively with his New York sentence.
They portrayed Kelly as a s**ual predator who used his fame and wealth to exploit his victims, showing no remorse for his actions.
On the other hand, Kelly’s lawyer requested a 10-year sentence, to be served simultaneously with his New York sentence.
The defense argued that Kelly’s own history of abuse as a child should be considered as a mitigating factor.
During the trials, allegations from five minors who claimed to have been abused by Kelly in the late 1990s were presented.
Prosecutors stated that explicit videos were made with four of these individuals.
One witness, referred to as Jane to protect her identity, testified that Kelly began engaging in s**ual acts with her when she was 14 years old, and they continued until she turned 18.
She admitted to falsely denying their relationship out of fear for her safety and her family’s well-being.
In addition to the Chicago trial, Kelly had already been convicted of racketeering and s** trafficking in a separate federal trial in New York.
Prosecutors accused him of using his celebrity status and connections to target underage individuals for his own s**ual gratification.
Witnesses in the New York trial shared accounts of s**ual and physical abuse at the hands of Kelly.
The court also heard testimony regarding Kelly’s controversial marriage to singer Aaliyah when she was only 15 years old.
Last month, Cook County prosecutors in Illinois dropped state s**-crime charges against Kelly, citing the significant federal sentence he was facing.
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx acknowledged the bravery of the victims who came forward and expressed her belief that justice had been served.
Despite the legal troubles, Kelly achieved great success as an R&B artist during the 1990s and 2000s.
He is well-known for hit songs such as “Bump N’ Grind,” “Ignition (Remix),” and “I Believe I Can Fly,” which earned him three Grammy Awards.
Throughout his career, Kelly has received a total of 26 Grammy nominations, with the most recent one occurring in 2015.
