What to Know
- Singer R. Kelly was arrested in Chicago Thursday on two separate federal indictments in Illinois and New York
- The 13-count indictment in Illinois alleges Kelly paid hundreds of thousand of dollars to recover videos of himself in sex acts with minors
- The R&B star has been the subject of different sexual abuse allegations for nearly two decades, with some alleged acts dating back to 1998
Note: You can read the full federal indictments here.
A former employee of R. Kelly, who was among those charged in the new indictments against the famed R&B singer, was arraigned in Chicago court Friday.
Milton Brown pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography Friday.
Brown, also known as June Brown, faces five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He was ordered to pay a $4,500 unsecured bond.
Kelly's ex-business manager Derrel McDavid also faces one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as two counts of receiving child pornography.
McDavid appeared in court in Chicago last week, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and a judge set bond at $500,000. He was released on bond Friday afternoon.
McDavid's attorney said his client would be vindicated of the charges against him and said it was unfortunate the "vendetta" against R. Kelly has extended to his associates.
Kelly was indicted this month on four counts of producing child pornography, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the indictment. He was ordered held without bond Tuesday.
The R&B singer was arrested July 11 while walking his dog near his home at Trump Tower in Chicago, according to his attorney. He was simultaneously indicted on five separate charges in federal court in New York, where he faces five counts of racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and sexual exploitation of a child.
Kelly's attorney Steve Greenberg said in a statement that the singer was "aware of the investigations" into him and that the charges "were not a surprise."
"The conduct alleged appears to largely be 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, is decades old," Greenberg said.
Local
Kelly's latest arrest in Chicago came nearly five months after he was released on bail for additional sexual abuse charges brought by Illinois prosecutors.
Back in February, Kelly was charged with aggravated sexual abuse involving four women, three of whom were minors when the alleged abuse occurred. He pleaded not guilty and was released from Chicago's Cook County Jail after posting bail.
Greenberg said a bail hearing on the federal indictment in Chicago would be held early next week, "at which time Mr. Kelly hopes to be released from custody."
