After over 25 years of charges and a federal court prosecution in New York that lasted over two months, R&B singer R. Kelly has been found culpable of assaults including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. Kelly encounters a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Fourteen alleged underlying laws were associated with the racketeering charge. The jurors found that the government had proved 12 of those acts, which involved five victims: the singer Aaliyah as well as women named Stephanie, Jerhonda Pace, Jane and Faith. Two acts associated with an alleged victim named Sonja were not proved. (Most alleged victims went by their first names or pseudonyms.)
The government needed proof of only two of the racketeering acts for a guilty charge.
On top of awaiting sentencing in this New York case, Kelly will face a second national trial on charges of child pornography and barrier of justice in Illinois. Some of those accusations are associated to a 2008 child pornography trial in Chicago in which he was vindicated of all charges.
Sentencing for R. Kelly in New York is slated for May 4.
