R. Kelly has been found guilty of all counts of racketeering in his federal sex trafficking case. After deliberating for two days, a Brooklyn jury of seven men and five women convicted the singer on all nine of the felony charges, the New York Times reports.
The singer faces 10-30 years in prison. Kelly faced federal counts of human trafficking, racketeering, child pornography, kidnapping, and forced labor of underage girls. He was also charged with violating the Mann Act, a law that bars transporting a person across state lines for prostitution. Kelly pleaded not guilty and denied all of the accusations.
Sentencing will take place in May 2022.
The Times reported that Kelly “sat motionless” as the verdict was being read, with his face covered by a mask so his facial expression couldn’t be seen.
According to Variety, Kelly’s attorney said that they are considering filing an appeal and are disappointed in the verdict.
A number of accusers described in graphic detail their abuse at the hands of Kelly, with some of the accusations going back nearly 30 years.
Kelly is also facing charges in Chicago and additional state sex crime charges that were filed in Illinois and Minnesota.
Interest in the case was revived following the 2019 docuseries Surviving R. Kelly that detailed numerous sexual abuse accusations, with several of the victims coming forward to tell their stories.
