CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury has found singer R. Kelly guilty on of all the charges against him, including racketeering and sex trafficking. Kelly faced a total of nine counts: one count of racketeering, with 14 underlying acts that included sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, and sex trafficking charges. He also faced eight additional counts of violations of the Mann Act, a sex trafficking law.
The verdict comes 13 years after Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was acquitted of child pornography charges at an Illinois state trial. Prosecutors who worked on the trial say this time, justice was served. “Today’s guilty verdict forever brands R. Kelly a predator who used his fame and fortune to pray on the young, the vulnerable and the voiceless for his own sexual ratification. To the victims in this case, your voices were heard and justice was finally served,” said Acting District Attorney U.S. Eastern District of New York Jacquelyn Kasulis.
Kelly could face decades in prison at sentencing, which is set for May 4th.
Our question: are you surprised by the verdict?
This episode’s panel features:
WCCB TV’s Morgan Fogarty
WCCB TV’s Zach Aldridge
WCCB News Edge Contributor Ashley Anderson
CNN’S Darryl Forges
