CHICAGO (AP) — R&B star R. Kelly has arrived at a Chicago police station hours after authorities announced multiple charges of aggravated sexual abuse involving four victims, including at least three between the ages of 13 and 17.
The 52-year-old singer, whose real name is Robert Kelly, arrived at the precinct in a van about 8:15 p.m. Friday. If taken into custody, he is expected to be held overnight and appear Saturday in bond court.
Earlier in the day, his attorney said the singer was "shell-shocked" by the aggravated sexual abuse indictment against him.
Steve Greenberg told The Associated Press that his client is "extraordinarily disappointed and depressed" by the 10 counts Chicago prosecutors filed against him.
Greenberg said he had offered to sit down with prosecutors before charges were filed to discuss "why these charges are baseless." But they refused, he said.
He said Kelly maintains his innocence and looks forward to being acquitted at trial.
Also on Friday, Attorney Michael Avenatti said a 14-year-old girl seen with R. Kelly on a video Avenatti turned over to prosecutors is among four victims in a newly released indictment charging the singer with aggravated sexual abuse.
Avenatti said at a Friday news conference in Chicago that the video shows two separate scenes on two separate days at Kelly's residence at the time during the late 1990s. Avenatti says during the video both the victim and Kelly reference her age 10 times.
Avenatti says he represents six clients, including two victims, two parents and two people who he describes as "knowing R. Kelly and being within his inner circle for the better part of 25 years."
He added that he believes more than 10 people associated with R&B singer R. Kelly should be criminally charged as "enablers" to his alleged sexual abuse of underage girls.
Avenatti spoke at a news conference in Chicago on the same day prosecutors announced 10 counts against the Grammy Award-winning singer. Avenatti said he represents six people in the case, whom he described as two victims, two parents and two "whistleblowers" who may have been members of Kelly's inner circle.
He said some of Kelly's associates over the years should also be charged because they "looked the other way" when girls were assaulted "because they didn't want to kill the golden goose."
R. Kelly is scheduled to appear in bond court Saturday in Chicago after he was charged with sexual abuse allegations spanning more than a decade.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx on Friday afternoon announced the 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse. They involve four victims, at least three of whom were younger than 17. Foxx said the sentencing range for aggravated sexual assault is up to seven years in prison.
If he is convicted on all 10 counts, a judge could decide that the sentences run one after the other — making it possible that he receives a sentence of up to 70 years behind bars.
Probation is also an option under statute.