NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — R&B singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges in Brooklyn federal court on Friday.
The 52-year-old appeared tired as he sat at the defense table and quietly answered yes and no to questions from the judge, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported. Kelly's lawyer entered a plea of not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering charges involving five women in New York who were allegedly used as sex slaves.
Prosecutors claim Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, locked some of the alleged victims in rooms with no access to food or water, used them to create child pornography and told them to call him "Daddy."
One of his alleged victims claims she was brought to a show for sex on Long Island in 2017 and left with a sexually transmitted disease.
Kelly’s defense attorney says the women are "disgruntled groupies" who sought out his attention. In court papers, Kelly's attorneys claim the women are all adults and that their names should be made public.
Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione denied bail, saying Kelly has significant incentive to flee given the long prison term associated with the charges. The judge also said he's troubled by allegations of threats against witnesses in an earlier trial, Diamond reported.
Supporters in the courtroom wore T-shirts that read #FreeRKelly.
Two of Kelly's live-in girlfriends flew to New York from Chicago for the court appearance. They did not speak to reporters as they left the hearing.
Kelly has been detained ever since being arrested last month in Chicago for a separate child pornography charge. He is expected to return to there to face federal and state charges.