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American R&B singer R. Kelly has formally appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump for a commutation of his 31-year federal prison sentence, according to newly released court records from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The 59-year-old singer, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving his sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina after being convicted on multiple federal charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking and child sexual abuse material offences.
In 2021, Kelly was found guilty of operating a criminal enterprise that recruited women and underage girls for sexual exploitation and the production of pornography. He received a 30-year prison sentence for those offences.
The following year, he was convicted on an additional three counts related to child sexual abuse material and three counts of child enticement, resulting in a 20-year sentence, most of which is being served concurrently with his earlier sentence. Combined, Kelly is expected to remain incarcerated for 31 years, with his projected release date set for January 2046.
According to documents made public by the Office of the Pardon Attorney, Kelly has requested a commutation of his sentence rather than a full presidential pardon. The application is currently listed as pending.
Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, has advocated for executive clemency for more than a year. In 2025, Brindley filed an emergency motion seeking Kelly’s transfer to home detention, alleging that the singer’s life was at risk while in prison.
The motion claimed that prison officials had been involved in a plot to harm Kelly, allegations that federal authorities have not substantiated. The court ultimately denied the request for his release.
Throughout the legal proceedings, R. Kelly has consistently denied the allegations against him. However, the convictions remain in place, and his request for executive clemency will now undergo review through the U.S. Department of Justice before any decision is made by the White House.
If granted, a commutation would reduce Kelly’s prison sentence but would not overturn his convictions or amount to an acquittal. As of now, no decision has been announced on the application.
