Nearly 10 months after a jury found R. Kelly guilty on one charge of racketeering and eight counts of violations of the Mann Act (a sex trafficking law), the embattled R&B legend has learned he’ll have to face 30 years behind bars for the crimes.
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While Kelly’s defense attorneys pleaded with the judge for the disgraced star to serve 10 or fewer years after the conviction, prosecutors – who asked for the equivalent of a life sentence – prevailed according to news from the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York revealed Wednesday (June 29).
During the sentencing, the court heard impact statements from seven of Kelly’s victims.
“It’s been 23 years since we knew each other, and you’ve victimized a lot of girls since then,” said one of the speakers identified as “Jane Doe.” “Now it’s your turn to have your freedom taken from you.”
The 55-year-old did have supporters remarks lending remarks as well. Among them was Joycelyn Savage, who was formerly known as one of the young girls he abused.
“Robert and I are deeply in love and it breaks my heart that the government has created a narrative that I’m a victim,” Savage wrote in a letter. “I’m a grown woman, and can speak for myself which is why I wanted to provide this letter to the court.”
Although Kelly is being held at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn he is expected to be moved back to Chicago where he faces another federal trial in August on charges of child pornography and obstruction.