The former music star has long since been convicted. Now the sentence has been announced in another trial about child pornography and child abuse. The sentence is 20 years, but it represents a legal victory for the sex offender. He will serve only one additional year.
Former music star R. Kelly has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Chicago court. This was reported by several US media, including the "New York Times". However, the verdict represents a legal success for Kelly. Because the 56-year-old will only spend an additional year behind bars. The remaining 19 years will count toward the 30-year sentence Kelly was sentenced to in New York in June 2022.
Judge Harry Leinenweber ruled largely against the prosecutor's request that Kelly serve both sentences consecutively and not mostly simultaneously. "The only way to ensure that [Kelly] will not reoffend is to impose a sentence that puts him in prison for the rest of his life," prosecutor Jeannice Williams Appenteng told the courtroom before sentencing. Kelly also showed no remorse for his actions in the process. The defense argued that the ex-pop star "is likely to die in prison in both cases."
In the Chicago trial last September, Kelly was found guilty of preparing child pornography and having sex with minors, including his goddaughter, who was 14 at the time. He was also convicted in the previous trial in New York in connection with allegations that he allegedly exploited and abused minors.
"Put simply, the defendant's crimes were calculated, methodical and part of a long-standing pattern of using his mega-star platform and deep network to gain access to teenagers," New York prosecutors said, according to Billboard many of whom were particularly vulnerable, and then exploiting them for personal gain and sexual gratification".
