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R. Kelly Sentenced To 30 Years On Mann Act, Racketeering Conviction

R. Kelly
R. Kelly (Shutterstock)
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CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess) — R&B icon R Kelly, the stage name of Robert Sylvester Kelly, is likely to spend the rest of his days behind bars after he was sentenced to 30 years on Wednesday for racketeering and other crimes.

Kelly, who is 55, was convicted in September of 9 federal charges of racketeering and violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for sexual purposes.

Kelly, was one of the biggest selling artists of the 1990s, faced a long history of allegations of sexual abuse, often against young fans, exploiting his fame and credibility as an artist to lure them into sexual relationships, despite their age.

“He committed these crimes using his fame and stardom as both a shield, which prevented close scrutiny or condemnation of his actions,” Federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing letter. “And a sword, which gave him access to wealth and a network of enablers to facilitate his crimes, and an adoring fan base from which to cull his victims.”

He was first accused of inappropriate behavior with young girls during the 1990s and sparked controversy when he illegally married singer Aliyah in 1994 when she was 15.

In 2002, he was indicted in child pornography charges but he was later acquitted after key evidence was excluded from the trial over constitutional issues.

The arrival of the #MeToo movement, and dogged reporting by Chicago music journalist Jim DeRogatis returned R. Kelly’s misdeeds to the forefront of public consciousness.

In addition to his 30-year sentence, Kelly faces a second federal trial in August on federal charges that he enticed minors into sexual acts and produced child pornography.

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