June 11 DeciderEx – Federal prosecutors in the US have recommended that R Kelly serve at least 25 years behind bars for sexually abusing women and girls. The disgraced R&B superstar was found guilty of racketeering and trafficking in a sexual assault trial in New York last year. Several accusers testified during the trial alleging that R Kelly subjected her victims to cruel and sadistic abuse when they were minors.
In a sentencing memo filed Wednesday, prosecutors said the "I Believe I Can Fly" singer preyed on children and young women for his own sexual gratification for decades and relied on his fame, money and popularity to do so. . . He continued his crimes and avoided punishment for them for almost 30 years and now he must be held accountable, they added. At the time of her verdict, R Kelly said that she planned to appeal the ruling, but not until she was sentenced. Her attorneys have argued that she deserves a maximum of about 17 years in prison under the federal sentence and it was initially reported that she could face up to 20 years.
But in her memo, prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of her crimes, describing them as calculated methodical and part of a long-standing pattern, and cited the risk that she would commit more crimes if released. Anxiety as FG takes terrorist financiers to court The government has little doubt that given the opportunity to offend again, the defendant would, they wrote.
It represents a serious danger to the public. Her actions were brazen, manipulative, controlling, and coercive. She has shown no remorse or respect for the law. Amid multiple sordid allegations, jurors heard testimony about a fraudulent marriage scheme hatched to protect R Kelly after he feared he impregnated R&B artist Aaliyah in 1994 when she was just 15 years old. Witnesses said they were married in matching tracksuits using a license that falsely stated she was 18 when she was 27 at the time. In the sentencing memorandum, prosecutors said R Kelly recruited members of his company to help him bribe a government official so he could fraudulently and surreptitiously marry Aaliyah.
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