R. Kelly held without bond on sex crime charges
R. Kelly appeared in a Chicago court Tuesday where a federal judge ruled the singer will remain in jail without bond as he faces a myriad of federal sex crime charges. Prosecutors argued that Kelly is a flight risk and an "extreme danger to the community."
Kelly's attorney, Steve Greenberg, entered a plea of not guilty on all charges.
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber made the ruling Tuesday after R. Kelly was arrested last week, he faces charges in both Illinois and New York.
According to the 13 count federal indictment in Illinois, the 52-year-old Kelly recorded himself having sex with minors. His former manager, Derrel McDavid, who was also charged in the coverup, pleaded not guilty.
The singer is also facing federal charges in New York that he engaged in sexual abuse with underage girls. The New York federal charges Kelly faces include racketeering, kidnapping and interstate transportation of victims for illegal sex acts.
More than 10 years ago, Kelly faced child pornography charges after he allegedly appeared in a video with a minor. Kelly was found not guilty in a 2008 trial. Prosecutors on Tuesday said they had three videos in their possession, which allegedly show Kelly sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. They said the videos feature "extreme close ups" of the singer's face.
Prosecutors said the victim testified that the singer appeared in all three videos. Two of tapes were not part of the 2008 case, they said.
Kelly had previously been free on a $1 million bond but was arrested on Thursday on child pornography charges. He has since been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.
Hannah Fraser-Chanpong, Adriana Diaz and Jericka Duncan contributed to this report.
