R. Kelly Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison While Already Serving 30 Years Behind Bars For 2021 Trafficking Convictions

R. Kelly was sentenced to 20 years behind bars in Chicago on Thursday, February 23, after he was found guilty of child pornography charges and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

This comes after a New York federal court initially ordered him to serve 30 years on sex trafficking and racketeering related charges last July.

Before his sentence was announced, one of Kelly's victims gave a statement read by their attorney, Christopher Brown, regarding the "abusive and dominating" treatment they suffered from the "I Believe I Can Fly" artist that allegedly caused them to become suicidal.

"I have lost my dignity due to Robert Kelly. I have lost my dreams due to Robert Kelly. I have lost my teenage years to Robert Kelly," the statement said. "I will forever be the girl that R Kelly peed on."

The shocking video of the convicted sex offender urinating on a 14-year-old girl was shown in Kelly's recent court case, decades after the 42 minute footage was filmed.

A separate statement confirmed one of Kelly's minor victims had lied about the abuse in the beginning, explaining she had been "afraid to expose Robert" because she was concerned about what could happen to her parents if she told the truth.

Following his guilty conviction, the prosecution had originally asked the judge to issue a 25-year sentence, arguing that Kelly is a "serial sexual predator" who has "targeted young girls" and other minor victims for years.

"To this day, and even following the jury verdict again him, Kelly refuses to accept responsibility for his crimes," prosecutors noted in a court filing.

Kelly's defense team's argument for a more lenient sentence balanced on the idea that if their 56-year-old client in fact survives 30 years behind bars, which they referred to as a "de facto life sentence," they claimed that there was "no reason to believe he would reoffend as a geriatric in his mid 80s."

"The overwhelming majority of Kelly's criminal conduct was committed a quarter century ago," they added at the time.

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