After years of allegations and court dates for R. Kelly, a verdict has finally been handed down: The New York Times reports that today, Kelly was found guilty of racketeering and eight violations of an anti-sex trafficking law. The singer now “faces the possibility of decades in prison,” the publication says.
A jury of seven men and five women found Kelly guilty of all nine counts with which he was charged, The Huffington Post reports. Along with the single count of racketeering, he was also convicted for eight violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. The verdict arrived at about 3:15 p.m. ET this afternoon, on the seventh week of the trial.
Kelly is set to be sentenced on May 4, 2022 at 10 a.m. ET. Tilem & Associates notes the maximum penalty for violating the Mann Act is ten years in prison and a fine. Meanwhile, individuals found guilty of racketeering can face up to 20 years in prison and a fine. The New York Times speculates Kelly “could spend the rest of his life in prison.”
As for Kelly’s reaction to the conviction, the Times notes, “Kelly sat motionless in the courtroom as he was found guilty of all nine counts of the racketeering and sex-trafficking charges against him. His facial expression was hidden by a mask.”