R. Kelly gets 30 years for racketeering and sex trafficking

This comes after R. Kelly was convicted last year on federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking stemming from his long-term efforts to exploit the fame of victims he sexually abused and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors’ request for a sentence of more than 25 years in prison was “tantamount to a life sentence,” while prosecutors sought a sentence of less than 10 years.

US District Court Judge Ann Donnelly began reading Kelly’s punishment to survivors of his abuse. There were no visible signs of emotion on Kelly’s face at the federal court hearing in New York City, which took place in a dark-rimmed prison uniform and black mask.

Donnelly informed Kelly, “You left a path of ruined lives in your wake.”

Donnelly said she weighed Kelly’s terrible background, during which his attorneys claimed he was frequently sexually molested by a family member and a landlord, when deciding on the punishment.

The judge remarked, “It may explain, at least in part, what prompted your actions.”