Federal prosecutors have recommended more than 25 years in prison for disgraced singer R. Kelly, according to legal filings obtained by The New York Post. In September 2021, Kelly was convicted of racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, and the US Attorney’s Office said that the harsh sentence was needed to “protect the public” from Kelly, who has been accused of around 30 years’ worth of sexual misbehavior, much of it involving minors.
“In light of the seriousness of the offenses, the need for specific deterrence and the need to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant… the government respectfully submits that a sentence in excess of 25 years is warranted,” read the filing. “He continued his crimes and avoided punishment for them for almost 30 years and must now be held to account.”
Kelly’s trial in New York didn’t go well for the singer, as multiple witnesses described horrible abuse of both male and female victims, while Kelly’s defense was reportedly unable to produce one of its own witnesses. Meanwhile, he still faces a separate trial for child pornography in his hometown, Chicago, later this year. Kelly plans to appeal his New York conviction with the help of Bill Cosby’s former lawyer, who will also defend him in the Chicago trial.