How long has R. Kelly been in prison? Former R&B singer's appeal to overturn his conviction for racketeering and s*x trafficking rejected

Former R&B singer R. Kelly, who has been incarcerated, has faced another legal setback as his appeal to overturn his conviction for racketeering and s*x trafficking was rejected.

On February 12, 2025, the legal team representing Chicago artist Robert Sylvester Kelly filed an appeal in Manhattan to overturn his conviction. However, federal authorities rejected the request, upholding the ruling.

R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2021 after being found guilty of leading a criminal enterprise that recruited and exploited young women and underage girls for illegal s*xual activity. He has now been incarcerated for nearly three years.

Robert Sylvester Kelly is a former American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Renowned for his contributions to R&B, he has been referred to as the King of R&B, the King of Pop-Soul, and the Pied Piper of R&B.

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R. Kelly's time in prison and his failed appeal to overturn conviction explained

R. Kelly (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)

R. Kelly, the renowned American singer, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on June 29, 2021. Later, on September 27, 2021, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted him on all nine counts following a six-week trial.

The sentence was announced by Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Steve K. Francis, Acting Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

In an official statement, authorities asserted that R. Kelly leveraged his fame and power to exploit young girls for his own "s*xual gratification" —

"R. Kelly used his fame, fortune and enablers to prey on the young, the vulnerable and the voiceless for his own s*xual gratification, while many turned a blind eye. Through his actions, Kelly exhibited a callous disregard for the devastation his crimes had on his victims and has shown no remorse for his conduct.

With today's sentence, he has finally and appropriately been held accountable for his decades of abuse, exploitation and degradation of teenagers and other vulnerable young people," the U.S. Attorney Peace stated.

Kelly's claims denied (Image via Instagram/@itsonlyentertainment)

Additionally, Peace expressed hope that the sentencing would provide some sense of justice and validation for the victims.

A new development has since emerged in Kelly's case, with his legal team arguing that prosecutors misapplied the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

However, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the claims made by Kelly's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, stating that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate how Kelly "ensnared young girls and women into his orbit" —

"Extensive evidence showing how Kelly ensnared young girls and women into his orbit, endeavored to control their lives, and secured their compliance with his personal and s*xual demands through verbal and physical abuse, threats of blackmail and humiliation," Circuit Judge Denny Chin said.

According to All Hip Hop, despite Kelly's appeal being rejected, Bonjean maintained that her client was wrongfully convicted under laws originally designed to dismantle organized crime networks.

She further argued that the ruling granted the government excessive discretion in applying the RICO statute to cases far removed from its intended purpose.

For now, Kelly's legal team has signaled its intent to take the case to a higher court as they continue challenging his conviction.