Jury Finds Embattled R&B Artist R. Kelly Guilty on All Lewd Counts

*Warning: Graphic content and situations are detailed in this story.*

BROOKLYN, NY –– After a month-long trial and two days of deliberation, a jury found R. Kelly guilty on all charges.

The 54-year-old R&B artist had been charged with one count of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act -- which addresses sex trafficking at a federal level.

“This case is not about a celebrity who likes to party a lot,” said Assistant US Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez. “This case is about a predator."

During the trial, prosecutors presented more than 40 witnesses that illustrated the network of friends and employees that helped Kelly transport his victims across state lines, facilitate their sexual abuse, and control their lives.

For days and days, multiple victims told the jury of their sexual encounters with the R&B singer while they were underage and the subsequent abuse that followed as the relationship continued.

One witness stated Kelly became enraged after she failed to acknowledge him as he entered the room –– which led to Kelly smacking her face and forcing her to perform oral sex. Kelly then allegedly ejaculated on her face and spitting on her face and mouth.

The visibly emotional witness read from her diary where she wrote about her last interaction with Kelly.

“I went to Rob’s house and he called me a bitch. He said I was a silly bitch. He slapped me three times and said if I lied to him again it’s not going to be an open hand next time."

Another victim told the jury about the five-year relationship she sustained with Kelly. She recounted being beat often and punished –– including one time when Kelly forced her to smear herself with feces put some in her mouth. 

After the victim became pregnant, Kelly forced the woman to get an abortion because he wanted to "still wanted [her] to keep [her] body tight.”

The trial also revealed how Kelly had managed to marry Aaliyah when she was only 15 years old.

A witness told the court she had walked in on Kelly performing oral sex on Aaliyah when she was only 13 or 14 years old. The woman also testified she had been involved with Kelly when she was only 14 or 15 years old.

According to Kelly's former manager, Demetrius Smith, the 27-year-old singer had arranged to marry the 15-year-old after she had a pregnancy scare. 

Smith testified that Kelly instructed him to bribe a welfare office employee with $500 to procure a fake ID for Aaliyah.

Kelly believed that by marrying the teen he would avoid legal trouble if she was pregnant. A new witness testified that Kelly had married the teen to procure an abortion without having to notify her parents. The marriage was annulled months later after it became evident Aaliyah was not pregnant.

Time and time again witnesses described how Kelly's inner circle allowed him to abuse minors and provided aid and legal cover by having victims sign NDA's and blackmailing them into silence.

Kelly refused to take the trial during the stand and his lawyer announced his team would be filing an appeal.

The disgraced R&B star may face anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.