R. Kelly Reportedly Arrested on Sex Trafficking Charges
R. Kelly has been arrested yet again—this time on sex trafficking charges.
The R&B singer was reportedly walking his dog in Chicago on Thursday night (July 11) when federal agents arrested him and took him into custody on a 13-count indictment. The sex-crime related charges include obstruction of justice, enticement of a minor to engage in criminal activity and child pornography, according to CNN.
“Robert Kelly was arrested by federal agents last night while walking his dog,” his lawyer confirmed in a statement. “The charges arose from alleged conduct in the Northern District of Illinois as well as the Eastern District of New York. The conduct alleged appears to be largely the same as the conduct previously alleged against Mr. Kelly in his current State indictment and his former State charges that he was acquitted of."
"Most, if not all of the conduct alleged was decades old," he added.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s rep, Darrell Johnson, also told NBC News the singer maintains his innocence following the additional federal sex charges and is “looking forward to his day in court."
As previously reported, the 52-year-old was arrested back in February on 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. He was later released after posting a $100,000 bail and pleading not guilty in the case.
In January, Lifetime debuted the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, in which multiple women recounted the abuse they claim they suffered at Kelly’s hands. This started the #MuteRKelly movement, which demanded Kelly be canceled. For decades, he's been accused of sexual abuse but has continuously denied the allegations.
"Everybody says something bad about me," he told CBS This Morning's Gayle King during his first interview following his arrest earlier this year. "Nobody said nothin' good. They was describing Lucifer. I'm not Lucifer. I'm a man. I make mistakes, but I'm not a devil, and by no means am I a monster."