R&B star R. Kelly has been indicted on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said at a press conference in Chicago on Friday
The counts stem from accusations from four different accusers, with the incidents outlined by the prosecutor ranging from 1998 to 2010.
In the instances of three of the accusers, the indictments were based on the accusers being under the age of 17 at the time, and Kelly being more than five years older than the accuser.
Foxx said that Kelly is accused of incidents involving one accuser, identified as H.W., from May 26, 1998 to May 25, 1999. Those allegations resulted in an indictment on four counts.
According to Foxx, Kelly is accused of an incident with a second accuser, identified as R.L., between Sept. 26, 1998 and Sept. 25, 2001. Those accusations resulted in an indictment on two counts.
My announcement of indictments charging R. Kelly. pic.twitter.com/J3uQA5wbZF
— Kim Foxx (@SAKimFoxx) February 22, 2019
Kelly was indicted on three more counts for alleged incidents involving another victim, identified as L.P., from May 1, 2009 and Jan. 31, Foxx said.
In the instance of a fourth accuser, identified by Foxx as L.C., an indictment on one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse was handed down based on transmission of semen on the body of the accuser for the purpose of sexual gratification. That incident, the prosecution said, occurred on Feb. 18, 2003.
The charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a Class 2 felony, Foxx said, carrying a sentencing range of three to seven years per count.
Foxx said she anticipates that Kelly will appear in bond court on Saturday.
Earlier this month, attorney Michael Avenatti — known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal battle with President Donald Trump — said that “significant new evidence conclusively establishing Mr. Kelly’s illegal sexual assault of young girls.”
Avenatti, who said that his office has been retained by “multiple clients” in connection with accusations against Kelly, said the evidence included “a VHS videotape of Mr. Kelly engaging in multiple sexual assaults of a girl underage. This tape, which is clear, is approximately 45 minutes in length and has never been publicly disclosed or, until recently, provided to law enforcement.”
Below please find a second stmt relating to our investigation of R. Kelly. As a father of two teenage girls myself, I have the utmost faith and confidence in Ms. Foxx and her staff to ensure justice is done. pic.twitter.com/nlvPt4W7Dn
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) February 15, 2019
TheWrap has reached out to Kelly’s attorney for comment.
The singer, who has been plagued by accusations of sexual misconduct, was the subject of the recent Lifetime docu-series “Surviving R. Kelly.” The series’ official description reads, “In the ground-breaking documentary series ‘Surviving R. Kelly,’ women are emerging from the shadows and uniting their voices to share their stories. Celebrated as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, R. Kelly’s genre-defining career and playboy lifestyle has been riddled with rumors of abuse, predatory behavior, and pedophilia. Despite damning evidence and multiple witnesses, to date, none of these accusations have seemingly affected him. For the first time ever, survivors and people from R. Kelly’s inner circle, are coming forward with new allegations about his sexual, mental, and physical abuse. They are now finally ready to share their full story and shed light on the secret life the public has never seen.”