

R. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, got exactly what was coming to him. For years, people have been talking about him sexually abusing women and children. But on September 27, 2021, he was found guilty of racketeering and sex-trafficking. The trial revealed a pattern of “using his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were just children, in a systematic scheme that went on for decades.” His accusers gave detailed trial testimony that “he subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were underage.”
Accusers also alleged that they were required to sign nondisclosure forms for their. . . “activities” with Kelly and “were subjected to threats and punishments such as violent spankings if they broke what one referred to as ‘Rob’s rules.'” Testimony included accounts that “Kelly gave several accusers herpes without disclosing he had an STD, coerced a teenage boy to join him for sex with a naked girl who emerged from underneath a boxing ring in his garage, and shot a shaming video that showed one victim smearing feces on her face as punishment for breaking his rules.” Abuse victims stated they believed Kelly would blackmail them with sexually explicit videotapes he had recorded should they come forward with accusations against him.
His lawyer asked for a sentence of 10 or fewer years, stating that the 25 years being asked by prosecutors was “tantamount to a life sentence.” But Kelly received a harsher sentence of 30 years– and a life sentence is exactly what he deserves for imposing life sentences of horror, damage, pain, and shame on countless innocent victims who hopefully received a modicum of closure from his sentencing, despite the fact that this justice does not heal the wounds he inflicted on them.
Kelly is scheduled to also stand trial in Chicago in August 2022 on charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice.
Interestingly, another individual involved in “a systematic scheme” of sexual abuse and sex-trafficking “that went on for decades” was also just sentenced to prison time. Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on 5 federal sex-trafficking charges when a jury determined that she “played a pivotal part in recruiting and grooming teenage girls to be sexually abused” in a horrifying scheme that spanned decades and continents. The trial showed that she and her partner, Jeffrey Epstein, used their fame and fortune to lure, exploit, and abuse vulnerable young women. Pretty much exactly like R. Kelly. In fact, the accusations and testimony from Kelly victims and Maxwell/Epstein victims are strikingly similar. I guess perverse sexual abusers have certain similarities. In Maxwell’s case, though, the government recommended a 30 year sentence with Maxwell receiving only 20 years, and she may serve even fewer in consideration of good behavior and time served.
How interesting that R. Kelly gets 10 more years of prison time for his decades-long “systematic scheme” of sexual abuse and sex-trafficking than Ghislaine Maxwell gets for her decades-long systematic scheme of sexual abuse and sex-trafficking. And we STILL don’t know the names of the numerous extremely powerful and high-profile co-conspirators involved in her scheme. This is absolutely unacceptable, shows exactly how corrupt the entire system is, and is very telling about people in positions of power in this country.
2 Comments
I don’t think Maxwell will serve her full 20 years. Not because of parole or good behavior or whatever. I think the powers that be will suicide her to definitively make sure that client list doesn’t leak.
Why is it “interesting”? Women have been getting lighter sentences from time immemorial.