Musician R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to the federal indictment, which included 13 charges against the singer.
Kelly appeared in Chicago to enter his plea Thursday, according to a report published by Fox News. The federal indictment had been updated to include a reference to a new accuser identified as “Minor 6.”
R&B singer R. Kelly on Thursday pleaded not guilty to an updated federal indictment that includes child pornography charges and allegations involving a new accuser, while prosecutors said more charges alleging yet another victim are upcoming.https://t.co/Ue3VOxY6ZJ
— CNYCentral (@CNYCentral) March 5, 2020
The 13 charges in the federal indictment include the sexual exploitation of children, coercion or enticement of a female, child pornography and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. Prosecutors also claimed there was a possibility for new charges to be brought against the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer after agents seized over 100 electronic devices in involvement with the case.
In response to the possibility of new charges, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber decided to push the upcoming April 27 trial to Oct. 13. (RELATED: R. Kelly’s Legal And Financial Problems Continue To Pile Up As He Sits In Chicago Jail)
Kelly faces federal and state charges in multiple states, including Illinois, Minnesota and New York. He was first jailed in July and has been appearing in New York court via video.
The federal charges accuse Kelly of filming himself having sex with underage girls and paying off witnesses in his 2008 trial. Kelly was acquitted during the 2008 trial after prosecutors failed to prove the identity of the girl in a sex tape video featuring the singer.