R. Kelly was arrested again, this time for FEDERAL crimes. Back in February, R. Kelly was arrested and charged with sexual assault in Cook County, Illinois. In May, Cook County added nearly a dozen more charges as additional victims came forward. Well, now Kelly has been re-arrested on a 13-count federal indictment:
Singer R. Kelly was arrested on federal sex charges in Chicago Thursday night nearly five months after he was released on bail for additional sexual abuse charges brought by Illinois prosecutors, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office said. The 52-year-old was arrested while walking his dog by Homeland Security Investigation agents and NYPD Public Safety Task Force, officials told News 4, and it is expected he will be brought to New York.
A 13-count indictment was handed down earlier Thursday in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois and includes charges of child pornography, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice, U.S. attorney spokesman Joseph Fitzpatrick told The Associated Press. There are separate federal indictments filed in both Chicago and Brooklyn, according to a senior law enforcement official, and a court apperance in Chicago could come later Friday. Further details on the case are expected to be announced Friday in federal court for the Eastern District of New York.
The singer’s crisis manager, Darrell Johnson, says his legal team was expecting the indictment to happen but he doesn’t know what the charges are yet. Kelly, whose legal name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was in high spirit as he awaits his trial, according to Johnson. “Mr. Kelly has declared his innocence from day one,” said Johnson, who says he has been working with the R&B star for six months. “I’ve seen nothing, and I do mean nothing, that would lead to any type of guilt.”
I mean… it makes sense, because some or many of R. Kelly’s crimes were not localized to one jurisdiction – he abused women and girls in Georgia and Illinois and New York as well. There are probably crimes of interstate sex trafficking too. The “obstruction of justice” charge is interesting as well – did they catch him in a lie? Did he destroy evidence? Probably. Oh well, have fun with federal prosecutors, R. Kelly. They’re going to eat him alive.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Hallelujer!
Lock him up, and throw away the key!!
Long time coming.
My god finally!! It won’t make up for what he did to those poor women but it’s some kind of vindication for them, at least. May he rot
He abused girls, not women.
They were children.
Yes I know. But some are women now, aren’t they? That’s what I meant. But anyway, women and children, hopefully this will help them in their healing journey
I didn’t mean to be snarly with you, @Snazzy. Every time I hear or read of the victims and they are termed as women, though, I RAGE. But I see your point regarding what you were thinking (re: them being adults now).
Here’s an interesting article on the topic of that filth, Jefferey Epstein, and language of choice to describe the victims:
https://jezebel.com/jeffrey-epstein-and-the-oxymoron-of-underage-women-1836247451
Thank @Frida_K I appreciate that link. The more I see evidence of being manipulated like this with terms like “under age women” used instead of girl children, the angrier I become at men in general. Why do men have no self-control? Why do they think it is ok to take what they want, without regard for anyone? Gaslighting, manipulation, control… I don’t know, these pedophiles and guys who cheat, and on it goes, it has got me to the point where I feel like punching my monitor and run screaming through the streets. And of course we have the Maxwell woman complicit in the thing with Epstein. How could a woman stand by and help entice minor children into servicing that creep. Uggg. Lock up R Kelly and Epstein and whoever else is complicit and throw away the damm key.
@Frida no worries! I understand the need to rage. I feel it too! ❤️❤️ And thank you for sharing the link! Great article
he actually abused adult women as well (as in they were adults before they met him)
Actually, if you watched the R Kelly documentary on Lifetime, he DID abuse women.
Chickens coming home to roost!
Long overdue.
I’m going to guess that “obstruction of justice” is either intimidating a witness, or buying off a witness, both of which he’s been accused of in the past.
I can’t absolutely recall the order, but I think that most defendants try to get their federal case out of the way first, because state convictions play into federal sentencing as a repeat offender.
If so, he won’t be able to do much to delay things.
Also, since he’s both famous and accused of crimes against children, both of which make him a target, it won’t be surprising if he spends his federal sentence in one of the “Super Max” prisons.
Wondering if this arrest had anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein? Either way, glad to see powerful men face the music.
Finally! This sickass drama has been known and ignored for years. It’s disgusting how long people have turned a blind eye just because he can sing. His butt needs to be put away for life.
He is toast
Good Lord, took long enough! But thanks to the federal prosecutors who kept working and finally got him. The feds are a whole different ballgame.
If he intimidated the ladies (coughing, putting himself in their view) while they were questioned, that is obstructing justice. Telling them not to say anything is obstructing justice. It’s really a catch-all and very smart of them to add.
He’s also been indicted for paying off one of the victim’s families.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Praying both R.Kelly and Epstein finally answer for their crimes.
Good. It’s about time. Hopefully all those girls have some kind of support and are able to get any help they need. Epstein too.
Christmas in July, I will take it.
FINALLY some good news!
I hope finally this man suffers some consequences for his sick actions.
I hope the families of these girls do too. They sold off these children to this monster.
And no joke..he lived in trump tower Chicago.
He needs to go to jail for the amount of time Bill Cosby is serving.
Finally.
Looks like “Trapped in the Prison Cell” will be his remix to “Trapped in the Closet.” I wonder how many chapters this masterpiece will have?
I *just* watched Surviving R Kelly and this man is a grade A monster. I am so glad that he is being targeted for prosecution by the feds. I hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life. Everyone should watch Surviving R Kelly, just to hear people relate directly to the camera how R Kelly groomed and then abused them, and then basically imprisoned them. It’s an important documentation of survivors’ testimonies and can teach people about how these predators go after children.
Would you just throw this privileged slimeball in jail PLEASE.
I’m glad he finally is being prosecuted. It’s crazy how he still has women/girls defending him. Apparently the two that were living in Trump Towers w him were not allowed back. The Dad of one of them was very upset, wanting to know where she was at. Idk how Kelly got such a hold on these girls and I think it was hard to prove crimes because the girls should say they are there willingly. And the people who helped him to get away with these acts are disgusting as well.