A federal judge sentenced singer R. Kelly to 20 years behind bars Thursday, wrapping up his Chicago federal sex crimes case.
Kelly will serve 19 years of the sentence concurrently with his 30-year sentence in a New York case that he began serving in June, plus one additional year in prison, according to ABC Chicago. Evidence in this case included three videos showing the disgraced singer sexually abusing his 14-year-old goddaughter, according to The New York Times.
A lawyer for R. Kelly argued that the singer was already “likely to die in prison” even before a federal judge handed down the sentence on Thursday. https://t.co/EGDDHTnPzS pic.twitter.com/uXUxfwAGp7
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 23, 2023
The Chicago jury convicted Kelly of six of the 13 charges against him, which included coercing minors into sexual activity, according to The New York Times. The artist was acquitted on two counts of enticing minors to have sex and one charge of obstructing justice in the case of the abuse of his goddaughter.
Federal prosecutors, who argued that Kelly’s “lack of remorse” posed a danger to society, pushed for the singer to be incarcerated for a 25-year prison term on top of the 30 year sentence he had already been given, according to the Times. (RELATED: Alleged Victims Drop A Slew Of Charges Against R. Kelly)
BREAKING: R. Kelly was sentenced to 1 extra year in prison for child pornography and enticement of minors for sex, served after his current 30-year sentence.
Illinois prosecutors asked for 25 extra years. At trial, an accuser said he raped her “hundreds” of times as a minor. pic.twitter.com/EVP5v8xAjK
— AJ+ (@ajplus) February 23, 2023
“The only way to ensure he will not reoffend is to impose a sentence that will keep him in prison for the rest of his life,” said prosecutor Jeannice Williams Appenteng, per the Times.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean asserted that her client was “likely to die in prison either way,” but argued that he would not pose a threat in his old age. Kelly’s legal team is expected to appeal the convictions in Chicago as well as the case in Brooklyn.
