As sentencing for convicted sex offender Robert Sylvester Kelly, popularly known as R. Kelly, draws nearer, the federal prosecutors work non-stop to get him a sentence of up to 25 years.
You may recall that Kelly was convicted last year on charges of sex offenses and racketeering after decades of accusations of sexual delinquency.
He has been incarcerated without bail since the conviction in a Brooklyn prison in New York and awaits a possible life sentence.
R. Kelly Is Seen As A Risk To The Public, May Be Imprisoned For Life
R. Kelly was reported to have avoided punishment for nearly three decades and “must now be held to account,” leading federal prosecutors in New York to seek more than 25 years sentence from Judge Ann M. Donnelly.
Based on Billboard‘s report, the former singer was charged with nine counts related to allegations about him coordinating a long-standing scheme to take on and abuse minor females.
Although he plans to appeal the verdict, he cannot do so until his sentence on June 29, which may be close to “an effective life sentence.”
The prosecutors urged Judge Donnelly via a recently filed brief to make the sentence as severe, as they noted the gravity of the defendant’s offenses and how long he had avoided being penalized for them. They wrote:
“The defendant’s crimes were calculated, methodical, and part a long-standing pattern of using his platform as a larger-than-life musical persona and his deep network to gain access to teenagers.”
The district attorneys further elaborated that most of the said teenagers were “particularly vulnerable,” but R. Kelly went on to “exploit them for his personal gain and sexual gratification.”
They believed if the past songwriter were acquitted of his alleged crimes, he would be a risk to society as he would commit more offenses. In their words:
“He poses a serious danger to the public. His actions were brazen, manipulative, controlling, and coercive. He has shown no remorse or respect for the law.”
Although R. Kelly’s legal representative Jennifer Bonjean did not straightaway return a request for comment on the sentencing brief, she can still do so before Judge Donnelly’s final judgment.
Irrespective of the number of the years doled out to the ex-record producer later this month, he will still have to deal with another trial this August in Chicago, where he was accused of “possessing child pornography and obstruction of justice.”
In March, he requested a delay in the New York sentencing until after the Chicago trial; however, the judge denied the request following the prosecutors’ argument about his victims waiting years to see him held responsible.
R. Kelly’s attorney is also asking the judge to “overturn the verdict” by exonerating her client or ordering a new trial after presenting several arguments that may likely not be granted, according to the outlet.
Around the time of the onetime king of R&B’s conviction, The Blast detailed the verdict, including being found guilty of racketeering, eight counts of sex crimes, and a Mann Act violation.
It is worth knowing that the Mann Act forbids the conveyance of “any woman or girl” across state borders for any “immoral purpose.”
R. Kelly’s criminal side was chronicled in a multiple-part Netflix series “Surviving R. Kelly.” Around the same time, hours of deliberations took place to pass the defendant’s verdict.
Speaking of the charges raised against him, he was formerly accused of exposing two past sexual partners to an STD. Still, it seemed those allegations were ultimately not added to the final indictment.
The Pied Piper Of R&B Becomes A Controversial Topic After Arrest
Following R. Kelly’s conviction, critics and supporters voiced their thoughts about the arrest, including the hip-hop icon Chuck D who remarked on the music industry influencing the offender’s actions.
As The Blast reported, Chuck D recalled past offenders who spent mere months in prison and were released as “changed positive” people.
He then wondered how long the King of Pop-Soul would spend in jail and posed a question about the United States system giving a man the possibility to change the world.
The question was not sympathetic according to the hip-hop star, but he stressed the impact of the music business on Black youth who are associated with a “grown folk lifestyle.”
His statement was taken pretty seriously by several people who slammed him for taking sides with a convicted sex offender; nevertheless, Chuck D later apologized for the misinterpretation of his words.
