R. Kelly gets 30 years in jail for sexual abuse   

US singer R. Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for using his celebrity status to subject young fans — some just children — to systematic sexual abuse.

On Wednesday, US District Judge Ann Donnelly imposed the sentence after hearing from several survivors who attested to how Kelly’s exploitation reverberated across their lives. 

The R&B star was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking last year at a trial that gave voice to accusers. 

Kelly’s conviction represents a victory for survivors of sexual violence, particularly those who may hesitate to speak out against abusers for fear of retribution. 

Notably, the allegations that the singer abused young girls began circulating publicly in the 1990s. He was sued in 1997 by a woman who alleged sexual battery and sexual harassment while she was a minor, and he later faced criminal child pornography charges related to a different girl in Chicago. 

A jury there acquitted him in 2008, and he settled the lawsuit.

Kelly’s sentencing comes years after sexual misconduct allegations were first made. Accusers included his former wife, Andrea Kelly, who said she feared Kelly might kill her.

He was charged with 21 counts of making child sexual abuse videos involving various sexual acts in June 2002 but was acquitted on all counts following a trial in 2008.

In 2017, an article brought fresh allegations that Kelly had trapped six women in a sexual “cult”, having taken advantage of them after they approached him for help with their musical careers.

Then, in 2019, a six-part documentary titled Surviving R Kelly, detailing the allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against the singer, aired. 

He was later arrested in July and charged with sex trafficking offences, including child abuse images and obstruction of justice.

Moreover, the singer has been detained at the Metropolitan detention center in Brooklyn since the verdict last September.

The crooner also faces further legal trouble. In federal court in Chicago, he is charged with enticement of a minor, possession of child abuse images and obstruction of justice. 

That trial is set to be held in August.

The 55-year-old singer and songwriter is known for work including the 1996 hit, I Believe I Can Fly, and the cult classic, Trapped in the Closet, a multi-part tale of sexual betrayal and intrigue.