Former R&B singer R Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is still serving a 30-year sentence in a federal prison. Kelly's sentence stems from a September 2021 sex trafficking conviction in New York, according to CNN. According to the BBC, a jury in Brooklyn found him guilty of eight counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering. Reuters reported that his sex trafficking crimes violated the Mann Act. The law prohibits transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.
R. Kelly transferred from Chicago to North Carolina prison after apparent surgery
CNN reported that Kelly was sentenced to an additional 20 years in federal prison in 2022 after a second conviction in his hometown of Chicago. He faced multiple charges of producing child pornography and enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was sentenced while already serving his previous 30-year sentence.
Lifetime’s award-winning documentary series Surviving R. Kelly explores the crimes of the disgraced singer. The two-season docuseries features several women, victims of Kelly’s sexual crimes, speaking out about their experiences. Surviving R. Kelly is available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Lifetime.
According to federal prison records and CNN, R. Kelly is now being held at North Carolina’s FCI Butner Medium I. His transfer to the “medium security federal correctional institution” took place in April 2023, following his second conviction. According to the outlet, the same federal facility once housed Bernie Madoff, who masterminded the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Records show Kelly’s potential release date is Dec. 21, 2045.
