R. Kelly Convicted on Child Pornography Charges at Latest Trial in Chicago

By Stephen Andrew

R. Kelly has been convicted on child pornography charges in his latest sex crimes trial in Chicago, Illinois. According to the Chicago Tribune, on Wednesday, Sept. 13, a federal jury convicted Kelly, 55, on charges of making videotapes of himself sexually abusing his then-14-year-old goddaughter many years ago. However, he was acquitted on charges that he conspired to obstruct justice in a 2002 case related to the charges.

The outlet reports that the jury deliberated for about 11 hours, eventually returning a guilty verdict on three of the first four counts of the indictment, which charged Kelly with sexual exploiting the girl, identified as 'Jane,' with the intention of "producing child pornography." Each of these charges carries a 10-year minimum prison sentence, which will add decades to the current 30-year sentence he is already serving, stemming from a separation sex crimes conviction.

In June, Kelly was sentenced to prison for sex trafficking and racketeering. The sentence was handed down following the federal prosecutor's request for a minimum of 25 years. The singer had been facing the possibility of life behind bars.

The disgraced R&B singer declined to make a comment prior to his sentencing, but before handing the sentence down, Judge Ann M. Donnelly made a statement. She referred to Kelly's behavior as violent and "carefully planned," and warned that the public needs to be protected from him. She also chastised Kelly's "indifference to human suffering," and mourned that the crimes he's been convicted of left behind "broken lives." Deadline noted that, at 55 years old, three decades behind bars "virtually amounts to a life sentence."

Amidst his many legal troubles, Kelly's fiancée, Joycelyn Savage, has claimed that she is pregnant with the incarcerated R&B singer's child. Speaking to ET, Savage shared the news, and added, "I'm very excited." The news comes roughly two months after it was announced that Savage, 26, is engaged to Kelly, 55.

Notably, in previous comments to E!, Kelly's lawyer Jennifer Bonjean, told the outlet that Savage was not pregnant with Kelly's child. In response, Savage told the outlet, "His lawyer didn't know that prior to him going to jail, Robert and I were doing IVF because at the time I was told I couldn't have a baby." She added, "When he got sent to prison, we paused on it and I had them freeze my eggs until I was ready. Once his lawyer did find out, she wanted me to have an abortion because she didn't feel that now was the time for me to have a child following the 30-year sentence."

Savage continued, "Me and Robert wanted to have a child for a long time. He is very happy about it, his lawyer isn't. Once I told her I was keeping my baby, she didn't want me to announce but I wanted to share the news. I've always been there for him even before this new lawyer came into the picture."

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