The R&B star R. Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in his native Chicago on Friday.
According to Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, the grand jury’s indictment involves four victims, all of whom were identified by their initials.
Nine of the counts are for aggravated criminal sexual abuse based on three of the victims being under 17 and Kelly being more than five years older.
The incidents occurred between May 26, 1998 and May 25, 1999; Sept. 26, 1998 and Sept. 25, 2001; and May 1, 2009-Jan. 31 2010.
The 10th count, stemming from an incident that occurred on Feb. 18, 2003, is for “transmission of semen upon any part of the body of victim for the purpose of sexual gratification during the course of an underlying felony of attempt criminal sexual assault.”
These are all class two felonies, with sentencing ranging from three to seven years per count. Foxx noted that they are also “probationable.”
Kelly, whose legal name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is expected to attend a bond hearing in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.
A no-bail arrest warrant has also been approved.
Kelly, 52, has long denied any wrongdoing despite the mounting allegations.
The embattled singer’s legal woes run deeper as more victims of Kelly’s alleged sexual abuse come forward in several cities.
After the Lifetime docuseries about his life aired in January, the Fulton County District Attorney's Office opened an investigation into allegations of his physical, sexual and emotional abuse against women. On Friday, the office said there were no updates on their investigation.
Kelly previously owned a home in Johns Creek, which has been tagged as a focus of an alleged sex cult.
Atlanta attorney Gerald Griggs represents the family of Jocelyn Savage, a local victim whose parents maintain that Kelly abused their daughters and kept her from making contact with her family for years.
After two years of extensive work, investigation, and a lot of prayer, my clients are hopeful that the recent charges against Robert Sylvester Kelly will lead to justice. We are ready to travel to Chicago to reunite the Savage family with #JoycelynSavage. #Rkelly
— Gerald A. Griggs (@AttorneyGriggs) February 22, 2019
A grand jury has also been formed New York, and, according to The New Yorker, the Department of Homeland Security is looking into Kelly's alleged act of illegally transporting underage women across state lines.
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