Kelly was supposed to face even more charges in his hometown of Chicago following his conviction in New York. However, that’s no longer the case.
A judge has formally dismissed sex abuse charges against disgraced R&B star R. Kelly at the request of a Chicago prosecutor, who said Monday that “justice has been served” since Kelly’s convictions in federal court cases in 2021 and 2022 have all but ensured he’ll be behind bars for decades to come.
According to a report NBC News published on Monday, January 30, a prosecutor in Illinois has dropped all 10 charges against Kelly. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx explained that her office found the allegations to be credible. However, she said the financial cost plus “limited resources and court time” were the prime factors that influenced her decision.
“I understand how hard it was for these victims to come forward and tell their stories,” Foxx said in a statement. “I applaud their courage and have the utmost respect for everyone who came forward. While this may not be the result they were expecting, due to the sentences that Mr. Kelly is facing, we do feel that justice has been served.”
Kelly was facing 10 charges of criminal aggravated sexual abuse after he was accused of sexually abusing four people between May 1998 and January 2010. Foxx first announced the charges back in 2019. The women, three of whom were under 17 at the time of the alleged abuse, were only identified by their initials. If the charges went to trial, Kelly would’ve faced three to seven years in prison for each charge.
Kelly still has other legal troubles to worry about. He’s currently facing other charges in Minnesota for allegedly recruiting a minor for sexual favors. He was formally indicted in 2019 for one count of engaging in prostitution with a minor and one count of soliciting a minor for sexual purposes.