Federal prosecutors have recommended R. Kelly be sentenced to a 25-year sentence in prison.
In court, they said Kelly “avoided punishment for them for almost 30 years and must now be held to account.” It comes after the singer was previously convicted in September of nine counts related to accusations he orchestrated a long-running scheme to recruit and abuse women and underage girls.
He is due to be sentenced on June 29th and has already outlined his intentions to appeal the verdict. However, in a brief filed on Wednesday, prosecutors urged Judge Ann M. Donnelly to sentence the 55-year-old for a quarter of a century.
“Put simply, the defendant’s crimes were calculated, methodical, and part a long-standing pattern of using his platform as a larger-than-life musical persona and his deep network to gain access to teenagers, many of whom were particularly vulnerable, and then to exploit them for his personal gain and sexual gratification.”
They also said: “The government has little doubt that if afforded an opportunity to offend again, the defendant would do so,” prosecutors wrote. “He poses a serious danger to the public. His actions were brazen, manipulative, controlling and coercive. He has shown no remorse or respect for the law.”
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, chose against responding immediately to the request for comment on Wednesday’s sentencing memorandum. Although, she will have the opportunity to file a response to the government’s brief before Judge Donnelly orders the sentence.
Furthermore, Kelly will face an extra trial and another possible sentence in August. We’ll have more as this story continues to develop.
