Washington: Singer R. Kelly, who has been indicted on state charges of aggravated sexual assault and abuse, on Thursday was arrested on charges related to child pornography and other federal crimes.
The American singer was taken into custody over a 13-count indictment that includes enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice, in addition to the child pornography charges, Joseph Fitzpatrick, assistant US attorney for the Northern District of Illinois told CNN.
Kelly is expected to be brought to New York, Fox News reported quoting multiple media reports.
Much of the sexual misconduct Kelly is accused of happened in the 1990s but in 2017, Illinois passed a bill that eliminated the statutes of limitations for all felony criminal sexual assault and sexual abuse crimes against children.
Kelly was charged in February with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, involving four alleged victims, including three who prosecutors say were underage girls. The charges cover allegations from 1998 to 2010.
In May, a grand jury indicted him with 11 more charges pertaining to one of those four accusers. Those charges included not only aggravated criminal sexual abuse but also more serious charges — aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony, and criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony.
A person convicted of Class X felonies can be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Class 1 and 2 felonies generally carry lower maximum penalties.
The singer has faced accusations of abuse and inappropriate encounters with girls and young women for more than two decades.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]