Singer R Kelly sentenced to 30 years for sex trafficking

The R&B singer R Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison yesterday on sex trafficking and racketteering convictions. He was convicted in 2021.

- GRAIG GRAZIOSI

Prosecutors initially sought a 25-year sentence for the singer.

Kelly's defence argued that he should be subjected to no more than 10 years in prison, arguing that anything longer was "tantamount to a death sentence" for the 55-year-old.

US district judge Ann Donnelly handed down the sentence after seven of the disgraced singer's victims gave impact statements recalling their abuse at his hands.

"You made me do things that broke my spirit. I literally wished I would die because of how low you made me feel," one of the victims told him.

Kelly was convicted on nine charges, which included racketeering and violating the Mann Act, which prohibits the interstate transportation of women and girls for "any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offence".

The judge said during the sentencing that "the public has to be protected from behaviours like this".