R. Kelly Arrested In Chicago On 13 Federal Sex Crimes Charges

AP Photo/Amr Alfiky – R. Kelly
departs the Leighton Criminal Court building after pleading not guilty to 11 additional sex-related charges, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Chicago

Singer R. Kelly, already facing sexual abuse charges brought by Illinois prosecutors, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday after he was indicted by a grand jury on 13 federal counts including sex crimes, a U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman said.

Joseph Fitzpatrick said the R&B singer was taken into custody about 7 p.m. local time and was being held by federal authorities.

He was arrested after a 13-count federal indictment was handed down earlier Thursday in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois.

“The counts include child porn, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice,” Fitzpatrick said, adding that further details would be released later Friday.

The arrest was the second time this year that Kelly has been taken into custody in Chicago on sex charges. The 52-year-old Grammy winner, whose real name is Robert Kelly, was arrested in February on 10 counts in Illinois involving four women, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and was released on bail.

Then on May 30, Cook County prosecutors added 11 more sex-related counts to the charges against the R&B singer involving one of the women who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was underage.

Kelly’s attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment the Thursday arrest. Fitzpatrick said Kelly’s arraignment date and time had not yet been set.