CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors in Chicago have charged R&B singer R. Kelly with 11 new sex-related counts, including some that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Cook County prosecutors filed the new charges against Kelly on Thursday. Among the new charges are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim between the ages of 13 to 16. The charges apparently pertain to a single victim.

The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison.

Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.

Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, didn’t immediately respond to an email from the AP seeking comment. He told the Sun-Times that he had received word of new charges from prosecutors but hadn’t seen any filings in the case. He did say he understood that the allegations are “from years ago.” </s> CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on the sexual abuse case against R&B singer R. Kelly (all times local):

Singer R. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 11 additional sex-related felonies during a court hearing in Chicago.

Prosecutors did not ask the judge to raise the bond amount for Kelly during Thursday’s hearing in Cook County court.

Kelly stood and listened to the judge describe the charges in a gray suit, with his hands folded in front of him. When the judged asked if he understood, Kelly, responded, “Yes, sir.”

Among the 11 new counts are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. That is more than four times as long as the maximum term for each of the 10 counts Kelly was originally charged with in February.

R&B singer R. Kelly is back in a Chicago courtroom, where he is expected to plead not guilty to 11 new sex-related charges against him.

Prosecutors could ask the judge during Thursday’s hearing to raise the bond amount for Kelly, whose financial problems have been widely reported. The Grammy award-winner spent a few days behind bars when he was originally charged in February until a suburban woman posted the 10% of $1 million bond — $100,000 — to secure his release.

Among the 11 new counts against Kelly are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. That is more than four times as long as the maximum term for each of the 10 counts Kelly was originally charged with in February.

Singer R. Kelly is expected to plead not guilty to 11 new sex-related felonies at his Cook County arraignment.

Thursday’s hearing in Chicago comes a week after prosecutors announced the new counts, including four aggravated criminal sexual assault ones. Each carries a maximum prison term of 30 years.

Kelly pleaded not guilty in February to 10 related counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving three girls and one woman over roughly 10 years starting in the late 1990s.

The judge could revoke his bond and order him jailed pending trial. But legal experts say that’s highly unlikely.

Kelly’s lawyer, Steve Greenberg, has said the accuser in the new charges is one of the four accusers in the February charges. Even with more charges, he has said Kelly still expects to prevail at trial. </s> R. Kelly has been charged with 11 new counts of sexual assault, E! News can confirm.

A spokesperson for the Illinois Cook County Criminal Court said in a statement, "11 new charges related [to] sexual assault and sex abuse were filed against R. Kelly."

According to court records obtained be E! News, prosecutors filed new counts on the 52-year-old star, including charges related to criminal sex assault, aggravated criminal sex assault and aggravated criminal sex abuse. Of the aggravated criminal sex abuse charges, three of the alleged victims are between the ages of 13 and 16.

Furthermore, four of the aggravated criminal sex assault charges are class X felonies. In Illinois, this means Kelly's charges carry a potential prison sentence of 30 years or more, which many are pointing out is the most he's faced.

However, Kelly's Crisis Manager, Darryl Johnson, claims the charges are "old." He said in a statement to E! News, "We knew they were coming and this was happening. He's not going to jail. We don't have the full details yet." </s> Embattled R&B singer R. Kelly has been charged with 11 new counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse, Cook County court records show.

Scarce details were made public Thursday, but four of the new counts charge Kelly with aggravated criminal sexual assault — a Class X felony that carries six to 30 years in prison on conviction.

Three of the new counts accuse him of sexually abusing a victim between the ages of 13 and 16. It was unclear if this is a new victim or one of the four victims — three of them underage at the time — whom Kelly was charged in February with sexually abusing.

Kelly was charged at that time with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving those four victims.

Kelly is due back in court next week to face the new charges.

“We’ll see what it is, and we’ll deal with it accordingly,” Kelly’s attorney, Steven Greenberg, said Thursday when reached for comment. </s> Singer R. Kelly pleads not guilty to 11 more sex-related charges

CHICAGO — R&B singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to 11 additional sex-related charges on Thursday, including four counts that carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors did not ask the judge to raise the bond amount for Kelly during the brief hearing in Cook County court.

Kelly stood with his hands folded in front of him and listened to Judge Lawrence Flood describe the charges to him. When Flood asked if he understood, Kelly, responded, “Yes, sir.” The Grammy award-winning singer, who has denied any wrongdoing, left without speaking to reporters. A status hearing was scheduled for June 26.

Among the 11 new counts are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. That is more than four times as long as the maximum term for each of the 10 counts Kelly was originally charged with in February.

Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, said after the hearing that he couldn’t speculate as to why prosecutors brought the new charges, which pertain to one of the four women he was charged in February with sexually abusing years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.

“It’s the same case. It’s just that they’ve just changed what they’ve charged him with,” Greenberg said. “It’s the same facts ... the same bond, the same evidence. We expect the same result.”

Asked how Kelly is coping, Greenberg said, “It’s tough. Everything is against him.”

Sophia Tareen and Michael Tarm are Associated Press writers. </s> CHICAGO (AP) — R&B singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to 11 additional sex-related charges on Thursday, including four counts that carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors did not ask the judge to raise the bond amount for Kelly during the brief hearing in Cook County court.

Kelly stood with his hands folded in front of him and listened to Judge Lawrence Flood describe the charges. When Flood asked if he understood, Kelly, responded, "Yes, sir." The Grammy award-winning singer, who has denied any wrongdoing, left without speaking to reporters.

Among the 11 new counts are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. That is more than four times as long as the maximum term for each of the 10 counts Kelly was originally charged with in February.

Kelly's defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, said after the hearing that he couldn't speculate as to why prosecutors brought the new charges, which pertain to one of the four women he was charged in February with sexually abusing years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.

"It's the same case. It's just that they've just changed what they've charged him with," Greenberg said. "It's the same facts ... the same bond, the same evidence. We expect the same result."

According to the new indictment, the first eight counts are from encounters that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010. Three others pertain to alleged encounters between May 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2010.

Among other things, prosecutors allege that Kelly used force or threatened to do so to pressure the accuser into sex or to perform oral sex on him. Since she was underage at the time, the statute of limitations for bringing charges was extended to 20 years from her 18th birthday, they wrote.

A woman has come forward to say publicly that 11 new felony counts stem from allegations she made about the R&B singer.

Jerhonda Pace wrote on her Facebook page that she's the accuser identified as "J.P." in court documents. Anticipating an angry reaction by Kelly's fans, Pace — one of four women Kelly is charged with sexually abusing — wrote that "no matter how "wrong" you think I am, the law is on my side, a MINOR at the time."

The Associated Press doesn't usually name alleged victims of sexual assault, but Pace has gone public with her allegations. </s> (Reuters) – Grammy Award-winning singer R. Kelly, who already faces state sexual assault charges, has been arrested in Chicago on federal charges after having been indicted there and in Brooklyn, New York, a law enforcement source said on Friday.

The source, who requested anonymity because the indictments were still under seal, declined to characterize the nature of the charges. NBC News, citing unidentified law enforcement officials, said they were for alleged sex crimes.

Kelly, 52, an R&B singer, was arrested on Thursday by New York police detectives and investigators with the Department of Homeland Security, and is expected to appear before a judge in Chicago later on Friday, the law enforcement source said.

“He’s expected to be arraigned today in federal court in Chicago and at later date in Brooklyn,” the source said.

Kelly faces a 13-count federal indictment in Chicago and five counts in Brooklyn, the source said, adding that both indictments remain under seal.

Last month, the singer pleaded not guilty to 11 new felony counts of sexual assault and abuse at a Cook County, Illinois, court hearing, after state prosecutors expanded an indictment against him.

The R&B singer has vehemently denied abuse allegations for decades. In 2008, he was tried on child pornography charges and found not guilty.

The Chicago Sun-Times said Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg, on Thursday confirmed the arrest, but declined to give details. Greenberg was not immediately available for comment to Reuters.

The Cook County charges involve alleged abuse of a victim between the ages of 13 and 16. The accusations center on someone identified only as J.P. and the crimes are alleged to have taken place between May 2009 and January 2010.

Kelly could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted on those charges.

In February, Kelly pleaded not guilty to charges that he sexually assaulted three teenage girls and a fourth woman.

The charges were brought after seven women, including his ex-wife, appeared on a Lifetime television documentary and accused him of emotional and sexual abuse.

The singer, known for such hits as “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Bump N’ Grind,” spent a weekend in jail on the sex charges before being released on $100,000 bail on Feb. 25. </s> CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors charged R&B singer R. Kelly on Thursday with 11 new sex-related counts involving one of the women who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was underage, including counts that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, making them the most serious he faces.

Cook County prosecutors charged the Grammy award-winning singer with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of criminal sexual assault by force, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against a victim who was at least age 13 and under 17 at the time.

The four aggravated criminal sexual assault counts carry maximum terms of 30 years in prison. Kelly is due in court to hear the new charges next Thursday.

Kelly was already facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving four women over roughly a 10-year period that started in the late 1990s. Three of the women were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.

The new charges pertain to a single victim, identified in the court filing by the initials "J.P." Prosecutors didn't specify in the filing if she is the same person as one of the original four accusers who was also identified as "J.P.," but Kelly's defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, seemed to suggest as much in a tweet Thursday.

Greenberg didn't immediately reply to requests for comment left by The Associated Press. The AP also couldn't immediately reach Kelly for comment about the new charges. He pleaded not guilty to the original chargesand denied any wrongdoing after his February arrest. He has been free since Feb. 25, when a suburban Chicago woman posted $100,000 bond, or 10% of the $1 million bond the judge set in his case.

According to the new court filing, the first eight counts are from encounters that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010. Three others pertain to alleged encounters between May 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2010.

Among other things, prosecutors allege that Kelly used force or threatened to do so to pressure the accuser into sex or to perform oral sex on him. She was underage at the time, extending the statute of limitations for bringing charges to 20 years from her 18th birthday, they wrote.

Kelly doesn't face federal charges, but attorney Michael Avenatti told the AP on Thursday that he expects the singer to face "serious federal charges" in the coming weeks.

Avenatti, who says he represents three Kelly victims, two parents and two whistleblowers, said he has provided "significant evidence" against Kelly to federal prosecutors in multiple U.S. attorneys' offices. He declined to say which federal districts would pursue the charges, but he said he and his clients have been cooperating with prosecutors "for the better part of four months."

Avenatti, who said after Kelly’s arrest that he had turned over video to prosecutors showing Kelly having sex with an underage girl, faces his own serious federal charges, including ones accusing him of trying to shake down Nike and cheating his most famous client, porn star Stormy Daniels, out of $300,000. </s> CHICAGO (AP) — R&B singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to 11 additional sex-related charges on Thursday, including four counts that carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors did not ask the judge to raise the bond amount for Kelly during the brief hearing in Cook County court.

Kelly stood with his hands folded in front of him and listened to Judge Lawrence Flood describe the charges to him. When Flood asked if he understood, Kelly, responded, “Yes, sir.” The Grammy award-winning singer, who has denied any wrongdoing, left without speaking to reporters. A status hearing was scheduled for June 26.

Among the 11 new counts are four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. That is more than four times as long as the maximum term for each of the 10 counts Kelly was originally charged with in February.

Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, said after the hearing that he couldn’t speculate as to why prosecutors brought the new charges, which pertain to one of the four women he was charged in February with sexually abusing years ago, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred.

“It’s the same case. It’s just that they’ve just changed what they’ve charged him with,” Greenberg said. “It’s the same facts … the same bond, the same evidence. We expect the same result.”

Asked how Kelly is coping, Greenberg said, “It’s tough. Everything is against him.”

“Initially, he was a little depressed,” Johnson said. “But I mean, with anything, if someone accuses you of something, you’ll be depressed. He knows the truth.”

According to the new indictment, the first eight counts are from encounters that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2010. Three others pertain to alleged encounters between May 1, 2009, and Jan. 31, 2010.



 R&B and pop music star R. Kelly is yet again facing charges of sexual abuse. He’s also the subject of three federal investigations, including one about sex trafficking. Yamiche Alcindor talks to journalist Jim DeRogatis, author of “Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly,” about how DeRogatis first uncovered the alleged abuse, how institutions failed Kelly’s victims and his “masterful” manipulation.

Among other things, prosecutors allege that Kelly used force or threatened to do so to pressure the accuser into sex or to perform oral sex on him. Since she was underage at the time, the statute of limitations for bringing charges was extended to 20 years from her 18th birthday, they wrote.

A woman has come forward to say publicly that 11 new felony counts stem from allegations she made about the R&B singer.

Jerhonda Pace wrote on her Facebook page that she’s the accuser identified as “J.P.” in court documents. Anticipating an angry reaction by Kelly’s fans, Pace — one of four women Kelly is charged with sexually abusing — wrote that “no matter how “wrong” you think I am, the law is on my side, a MINOR at the time.”

The Associated Press doesn’t usually name alleged victims of sexual assault, but Pace has gone public with her allegations.
American songwriter R. Kelly is charged by Cook County prosecutors with 11 counts of sexual assault and abuse.