A federal judge sentenced singer and convicted sexual predator
R. Kelly to 30 years in prison Wednesday.

Kelly was convicted last September of racketeering and violating
the Mann Act, a sex trafficking law, including having sex with
underage girls. He could have faced up to life in prison.

Kelly declined to make a statement during the hearing on
Wednesday. Outside the courthouse, Jennifer Bonjean, a lawyer
for Kelly, said his lawyers advised him not to make a statement
because he still has pending cases. She said he will make a
statement eventually.

Bonjean said Kelly will be appealing the case, adding he was not
guilty of racketeering. Responding to questions, Bonjean said
Kelly is not an abuser.

"Mr. Kelly is fine," a lawyer for Kelly told reporters outside
the courthouse after the sentencing. "We believe that this
enterprise was overcharged."

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, who prosecuted the case, called Kelly
a predator and said the outcome is significant. Peace said
justice was "finally achieved," speaking outside the courthouse.

"He continued committing his crimes for almost 30 years, until
today," Peace said.

Peace and Steve Francis, acting executive associate director of
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, attributed the outcome to
the bravery of victims who came forward.

"This man is a prolific, serial predator," Francis said.
"Today's sentence is a victory that belongs to the brave victims
that came forward."

He later added, "Money, power and fame will not buy you immunity
in the United States."

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represented victims in the case,
called Kelly a skilled sexual predator.

"They are relieved that he has been sent to prison for
approximately 30 years, because while he is in prison he will
not be able to sexually victimize anyone," Allred said.

His defense team asked for less than 14 years in prison, citing
Kelly's traumatic childhood.

During his trial, nearly four dozen witnesses testified for the
prosecution, alleging that he preyed upon children and women for
his sexual gratification.

He was also convicted in a bribery scheme involving a public
official to get a fake ID for the late singer Aaliyah, so the
two could marry when she was 15 and he was 27. Kelly believed
Aaliyah was pregnant at the time, prosecutors wrote in a
sentencing memo.

Kelly produced Aaliyah's debut album, titled "Age Ain't Nothing
but a Number." She died in a plane crash in 2001 at 22 years old.

"Kelly relied upon his fame, money and popularity as an R&B
recording star and used the large network of people his status
afforded him -- including his business managers, security guards
and bouncers, runners, lawyers, accountants and assistants to
both carry out and conceal his crimes," prosecutors said. "He
continued his crimes and avoided punishment for them for almost
30 years and must now be held to account."

In 2016, he revealed in a GQ interview that a female family
member sexually abused him.

The defense also cast his accusers as motivated by money.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/kelly-faces-sentencing-today-spend-
rest-life-prison/story?id=85886627

In article <478127abb9334f3ef5126469be2b21f8@dizum.com>, Pedo Jackson
<pedo.jackson@sony.com> wrote:

> "Mr. Kelly is fine," a lawyer for Kelly told reporters outside
> the courthouse after the sentencing. "We believe that this
> enterprise was overcharged."

Yes, by his lawyers.