Singer/Rapper R. Kelly, who’s full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his prior guilty conviction on one count of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act for sex trafficking across state lines. The Mann Act, which was passed in 1910 to cover transporting a female across state lines for prostitution, debauchery or any other immoral purpose, was updated in 1986 to also protect the non-commercial sexual exploitation of minors.
Kelly’s defense team argued Kelly should only be sentenced under 10 years, claiming anything else is “greater than necessary”, and imprisoning Kelly, 55, would be a life sentence.
Kelly’s attorneys said the rapper was sexually abused multiple times, often on a weekly basis, when he was just 6 and 7 years old by his older sister and a landlord, which had led to his future psychological well being.
R. Kelly had previously been found guilty on 12 of 14 charges sexual exploitation of a child, sex trafficking and Racketeering charges during a trial that was viewed as a milestone moment for the #MeToo movement. Anger also grew for many young black victims that felt they were ignored after watching “Surviving R. Kelly”, a Lifetime docuseries that detailed sexual abuse allegations toward Kelly, who was convicted after the documentary was released.
Multiple victims testified they were young girls and boys when Kelley lured them in from his concert audiences and sexually abused them, and enticed other young up and coming musicians to have sex by promising to help them in their future music careers.
Kelly had faced a potential prison sentence of 10 years to life, but the embattled rap artist still faces other charges in Illinois and Minnesota of child pornography and obstruction of justice.
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