R. Kelly Faces New, More Serious Charges In Sexual Assault And Abuse Related Case

R. Kelly was charged on Thursday with 11 new counts of sexual assault and sex abuse-related charges.

Prosecutors charged the embattled R&B singer, 52, 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 between 13 and 16 years old.

Some of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, making them the most serious against him.

Earlier this year, Kelly, 52, pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse pertaining to four women, including three who were minors at the time the abuse allegedly occurred. The abuse in question is alleged to have occurred over roughly a decade, starting in the late 1990s.

The new charges apparently pertain to a single victim, identified in the court filing by the initials “J.P.” It isn’t clear if she is the same person as one of the initial four accusers who also was identified by the same initials in court documents.

Kelly’s defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, didn’t immediately respond to an email from the AP seeking comment.

On Twitter, Greenberg said Kelly was not charged with a new case. He said he was charged in an existing case, with the same alleged victim and time.

#RKelly was NOT charged with a new case. He was recharged in an existing case, same alleged victim and time (a decade ago) It changes nothing

— Steve Greenberg (@SGcrimlaw) May 30, 2019

#RKelly These are the same conduct, just charged differently, same alleged victim, same time frame, same facts. We expect the same results

— Steve Greenberg (@SGcrimlaw) May 30, 2019