R. Kelly seeks sentence commutation from Trump, not full pardon
Disgraced R&B singer has formally asked POTUS to commute his 31-year federal prison sentence
Author of the article:Anne Bacani
Published Jul 16, 2026 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 2 minute read
R. Kelly
In this file photo taken on Sept. 17, 2019, disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly appears during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, Ill. Photo by Antonio Perez /AFP via Getty Images
R. Kelly is making another bid to get out of prison, this time by asking U.S. President Donald Trump to commute his 31-year federal sentence.
According to court records released this week by the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, Kelly’s request is currently pending. As first reported by the Chicago Tribune, he is not seeking a full pardon. Instead, he wants a commutation, which could reduce or end his prison sentence but would leave his federal convictions intact, KTLA News reports.
Not eligible for release until 2046
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted in September 2021 on nine federal counts tied to racketeering and violations of the Mann Act involving the sexual exploitation of children, The Guardian reports. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022.
Then, in February 2023, he received another 20-year sentence in a separate child sex crimes case. A judge ruled that all but one of those years would run at the same time as his earlier sentence, leaving him with a combined 31-year prison term, according to The Guardian.
The 59-year-old is serving that sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina and is not expected to be released until January 2046, The Guardian notes.
Request doesn’t appear to have gone anywhere yet
KTLA News says there is no indication Trump has made a decision.
Kelly’s legal team has been trying different avenues for more than a year. Last year, lawyer Beau Brindley filed an emergency motion asking for Kelly to be moved to home detention, arguing his client’s life was at risk inside prison, Variety reports.
That filing included a sworn declaration from a terminally ill inmate who claimed prison officials offered him freedom in exchange for killing Kelly. The motion also accused government officials of intercepting attorney-client communications, alleging misconduct by federal authorities.
After filing the motion, Brindley told Variety that Kelly was placed in solitary confinement as punishment. He also revealed he planned to seek help from Trump and had already spoken with people close to the president.
Kelly’s health should also be considered: Lawyer
Brindley recently told TMZ that the singer has a blood clot in his neck along with other serious medical issues that, in his view, justify his release.
Brindley has drawn comparisons between Kelly’s legal battle and Trump’s own claims about politically motivated prosecutions. Speaking to Variety, he argued Trump may be more willing than anyone else to act because he believes the president understands what it feels like to face what Brindley called a corrupt prosecution and alleged threats designed to silence Kelly.
“I think it’s a particular interest to President Trump because, unlike most people who come to this with an air of skepticism, (he) has a personal unique understanding of what it’s like to be victimized by prosecution teams and put through that experience through corrupt and criminal hacks,” Brindley said.
variety.com
theguardian.com
chicagotribune.com
justice.gov
torontosun.com
Disgraced R&B singer has formally asked POTUS to commute his 31-year federal prison sentence
Author of the article:Anne Bacani
Published Jul 16, 2026 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 2 minute read
R. Kelly
In this file photo taken on Sept. 17, 2019, disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly appears during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, Ill. Photo by Antonio Perez /AFP via Getty Images
R. Kelly is making another bid to get out of prison, this time by asking U.S. President Donald Trump to commute his 31-year federal sentence.
According to court records released this week by the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, Kelly’s request is currently pending. As first reported by the Chicago Tribune, he is not seeking a full pardon. Instead, he wants a commutation, which could reduce or end his prison sentence but would leave his federal convictions intact, KTLA News reports.
Not eligible for release until 2046
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted in September 2021 on nine federal counts tied to racketeering and violations of the Mann Act involving the sexual exploitation of children, The Guardian reports. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022.
Then, in February 2023, he received another 20-year sentence in a separate child sex crimes case. A judge ruled that all but one of those years would run at the same time as his earlier sentence, leaving him with a combined 31-year prison term, according to The Guardian.
The 59-year-old is serving that sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina and is not expected to be released until January 2046, The Guardian notes.
Request doesn’t appear to have gone anywhere yet
KTLA News says there is no indication Trump has made a decision.
Kelly’s legal team has been trying different avenues for more than a year. Last year, lawyer Beau Brindley filed an emergency motion asking for Kelly to be moved to home detention, arguing his client’s life was at risk inside prison, Variety reports.
That filing included a sworn declaration from a terminally ill inmate who claimed prison officials offered him freedom in exchange for killing Kelly. The motion also accused government officials of intercepting attorney-client communications, alleging misconduct by federal authorities.
After filing the motion, Brindley told Variety that Kelly was placed in solitary confinement as punishment. He also revealed he planned to seek help from Trump and had already spoken with people close to the president.
Kelly’s health should also be considered: Lawyer
Brindley recently told TMZ that the singer has a blood clot in his neck along with other serious medical issues that, in his view, justify his release.
Brindley has drawn comparisons between Kelly’s legal battle and Trump’s own claims about politically motivated prosecutions. Speaking to Variety, he argued Trump may be more willing than anyone else to act because he believes the president understands what it feels like to face what Brindley called a corrupt prosecution and alleged threats designed to silence Kelly.
“I think it’s a particular interest to President Trump because, unlike most people who come to this with an air of skepticism, (he) has a personal unique understanding of what it’s like to be victimized by prosecution teams and put through that experience through corrupt and criminal hacks,” Brindley said.
R. Kelly Formally Asks Trump to Commute 30-Year Sentence
An attorney for R. Kelly formally asked President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year sentence for sexually exploiting children.
variety.com
R Kelly formally appeals to Donald Trump to commute his 31-year prison sentence
The R&B singer was found guilty of racketeering, sex trafficking and producing child abuse images, with his lawyer lobbying the US president for more than a year
R. Kelly asks President Donald Trump to commute 30-year sentence for sex abuse of minors
Imprisoned Chicago R&B superstar R. Kelly has formally asked President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year sentence for an array of sexual misconduct convictions.
chicagotribune.com
Office of the Pardon Attorney
R. Kelly seeks sentence commutation from Trump, not full pardon
The request comes after previous claims by disgraced R&B singer's lawyer that his life was in danger behind bars. Read more.