R. Kelly has been found guilty of all charges of sex trafficking brought against the singer.
Nine charges were brought against Kelly by eleven accusers, all of whom took the stand during the six week trial. The nine women and two men painfully described sexual assault, sexual humiliation, and violence at the hands of Kelly.
The charges entailed that Kelly was a ringleader of a violent and coercive scheme that lured women, boys and girls for him to sexually assault and abuse. Charges also accused Kelly of eight counts of sex trafficking and racketeering. To add to the laundry list of horrific offenses, sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, sexual assault, underage assault, predatory actions — to name a few — were detailed during the trial.
After two days of deliberation, the jury found Kelly — whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly — guilty.
This is the highest profile case after the #MeToo era.
In total there have been nearly 30 years of allegations against Kelly. Since the 1990s, women and girls have come forward that Kelly is a sexual abuser. This federal court trial, which took place in New York, was the first time he has had to face legal ramifications for his abuse.
Kelly’s sentencing isn’t scheduled for another seven months, in May 2022. He faces 10 years to life in prison, showcasing the large breadth the judge can take in determining the sentence for the crimes. However, Kelly’s attorney has said that he did not expect the outcome, and an appeal may occur.
Kelly also faces federal charges in Illinois, along with some state charges in the same state, as well as Minnesota. Some of these accusations are in relation to an earlier charge in 2008 for child pornography, of which he was acquitted. The other outstanding charges are for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and for engaging in prostitution with a minor.
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