Disgraced rapper R. Kelly was sentenced Thursday to just one more year in prison on federal pedophilia charges.
US District Judge Harry Leinenweber sentenced 56-year-old Kelly to 20 years in prison for enticing several underage girls into sex, using his wealth and fame and, in some cases, videotaping the abuse.
Nineteen of those years are being served concurrently with his ongoing 30-year sentence for his racketeering and sex trafficking conviction in 2021 in federal court in New York, with just one straight year serving in a Chicago federal prison.
The verdict is far less than what prosecutors and his victims had been demanding, arguing in court that the once-popular Grammy winner spent the rest of his life behind bars, sentenced to 25 years that would only begin when the existing 30-year stretch has expired completely.
In court documents, prosecutors had urged Leinenweber to sentence the I Believe I Can Fly singer to an additional 25 years behind bars, arguing he was so incorrigible that “the only way to make sure Kelly doesn’t reoffend is to do it.” is to impose a permanent sentence on him for the rest of his life in prison.’
However, defense attorneys said he was already facing an effective life sentence with the existing 30-year sentence, noting that Kelly had diabetes. They argued that the government was attempting to try him on charges on which he was acquitted.
Then in court Thursday, the judge found that Kelly’s actions did not merit an increase in the sentence for sex trafficking, and contradicted prosecutors that Kelly used fear to court underage girls — even as they shared their pain with the judge.
He added that deterrence is not a factor as Kelly has already lost all of his wealth and status due to his beliefs.
R. Kelly pictured in court in Chicago in September 2019. was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual assault
Kelly’s attorneys have argued that given the singer’s age and health, his current sentence already amounts to life in prison
Kelly was found guilty on video in September of sexually abusing his 14-year-old goddaughter “Jane” and other girls.
He was convicted on three of four counts alleging that he produced child pornography by filming himself having sex with his underage goddaughter, who testified against him.
The jury had to watch parts of three of these videos in court.
Kelly was also convicted of three out of five charges alleging that he had enticed a minor into sexual activity.
However, the jury acquitted him of seven other charges, including obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obtain child pornography, and charged him and two other defendants with tampering with his 2008 child pornography trial.
His two associates, Derrell McDavid and Milton Brown, were also cleared of similar charges.
Federal prosecutors have since recommended a 25-year sentence, to be served after the New York sentence. That would mean that Kelly could not be released from prison until 2066, when he would be 99 years old.
In their sentencing recommendation, prosecutors called Kelly’s behavior “sadistic” and called him an unrepentant “serial sex offender” who “poses a serious threat to society.”
“The only way to ensure Kelly does not re-offend is to impose a sentence that will keep him in prison for the rest of his life,” the filing reads.
Prosecutors admitted they were seeking more time behind bars than sentencing guidelines recommend.
But they argued: “One sentence in a row is extremely reasonable given the enormity of Kelly’s behavior.
“Kelly’s sexual abuse of a minor was intentional and prolific.”
However, defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean wrote that “despite his 30-year sentence, Kelly would have to defy all statistical odds to make it out of prison alive,” citing data showing the average life expectancy of inmates is 64 years.
She instead recommended a sentence of about 10 years at the lower end of sentencing guidelines, which she said could be served concurrently with the New York sentence.
Bonjean argued in court documents that Kelly, who is black, was singled out for behavior she said white rock stars got away with for decades.
“No one has been prosecuted and no one will die in prison,” she argued.
Once a big name in R&B music, Kelly was convicted of child pornography charges after two days of jury deliberation. He is pictured in his March 6, 2019 booking photo
A federal judge ruled that deterrence was not an issue because he had lost his wealth and status
Kelly exits the Leighton Criminal Court building in Chicago in 2019
In this court sketch, a woman using the alias “Jane,” left, testifies at R. Kelly’s Aug. 19 trial in Chicago federal court
In court on Thursday, the victims read statements arguing that Kelly should be sentenced to a long prison term.
“Jane” told Judge Leinenweber: “When I think of all that I lost because of Robert Kelly, all I can do is cry.
“I will never get back what Robert Kelly took from me,” she said, adding, “If you lose your virginity to a pedophile at the age of 14, your life is never yours.
“I need closure, I need Robert Kelly in prison while the law allows,” she said, lamenting that she will always be known as the girl R. Kelly peed on and that her involvement in made it impossible for her to have a normal love relationship.
Another victim, “Pauline,” shared how she felt like she was living a double life because her family never found out about the abuse she suffered.
Now, as an adult, she said she doesn’t trust anyone with her children “because I know firsthand it can be done.”
After her comments, prosecutor Jeannice Appenteng said: “For the rest of your life you will have to live with … the role of victim.”
She claimed Kelly showed no sign of remorse for his actions and took extreme measures to avoid prosecution – although he was never found guilty of tampering with the 2008 trial.
“You heard Jane testify on the grand jury in 2002 about how she lied for him,” Appenteng told the judge, noting that her parents lied when they didn’t see her on Kelly’s sex tape.
“They were afraid to go against Kelly’s power, money and influence,” Appenteng said. “Now is the time for justice.”
Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in federal court in New York for his racketeering and sex trafficking conviction in 2021
But Bonjean dismissed the government’s allegations that Kelly was implicated in victim allegations, saying: “The idea that [Kelly] failed to take responsibility… the government knows that’s not true.’
She also argued that Jane’s family wanted nothing to do with his 2002 indictment, telling the judge, “The Government attaches great importance to this disability case of which Mr. Kelly was acquitted.”
Bonjean said the government is trying to punish Kelly for conduct for which he has been acquitted, which could result in a violation of the constitution.
And Bonjean said Kelly’s effective illiteracy should be taken into account, saying it prevents him from seeking help for his trauma.
“These are adverse circumstances that last throughout life,” she said.
Instead, she asked the judge to sentence Kelly to 14 years at the same time as his 30-year sentence.
“If there’s one person no one on this planet would want, it’s R. Kelly,” she said, arguing that there was no need for a more severe sentence to deter others from committing similar crimes.