The disgraced rapper R. Kelly may spend the rest of his life in prison, after being sentenced to 30 years for sex trafficking women and children, and being described as “wicked” and a “groomer” in a New York court.
Fifty five year old Robert Sylvester Kelly was convicted on eight charges of sex trafficking as well as another of racketeering in September 2021. He was described as a predator during his trial, who used his fame and own employees to prey on minors and young victims.
Last year the court also heard how R. Kelly’s inner circle of friends transported victims across state borders, controlled them and ultimately supported and enabled the sexual abuse.
In New York this morning, the judge described R. Kelly as committing “calculated and carefully planned” crimes that went on for almost a quarter of a century.
“You took advantage of their hopes and dreams, holding teenagers in your house trapped. You were at the top of your organisation and you raped and beat them, separated them from their families and forced them to do unspeakable things,” she said in her sentencing remarks.
“You taught them that love is enslavement and violence.”
During Kelly’s sentencing hearing, a number of victims gave statements about the abuse they had suffered.
They spoke about broken spirits, of his power growing over time, and how he coached children for his own sexual gratification.
“You made me do things that broke my spirit. I literally wished I would die because of how low you made me feel,” one victim said.
Another victim described Kelly as the “pied piper” luring in minors for his acts of “wickedness”.
Another said the sexual assault she experienced by R. Kelly following one of his concerts in 1994, “changed me forever”.
Another said Kelly would force her to perform oral sex on him, after he returned sweating from playing basketball.
And another described how Kelly had repeatedly raped her when she was under the age of 18.
Kelly married singer Aaliyah when she was 15 years old. He obtained illegal documents to do so, and it’s believed he had been abusing her for up to two years prior. Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001.
Kelly faces another trial in August later this year, on charges relating to coercing children into sex acts and child pornography.