Singer R Kelly who was jailed in New York last month after he was charged in Brooklyn and Chicago with numerous sexual misconduct felonies has now been charged with two counts of engaging in prostitution with a person under 18 in Minnesota. The R&B singer has been accused of paying a 17-year-old girl $200 to take off her clothes and dance for him, and then engaging in sexual contact according to the complaint filed against him. R Kelly Gets Arrested  in Sex Trafficking Case, 13 Criminal Charges Levelled Against The Singer.

The victim informed the law enforcement hotline in January after hearing about the other allegations about R. Kelly that had already surfaced in the media. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said, "It is despicable that Mr. Kelly used his fame in order to prey on underaged girls" in a statement reported by CNN.

Kelly's lawyer, on the other hand, tweeted saying, "Give me a break. This is beyond absurd." With charges pending against Kelly in New York and Illinois, Freeman said it's unclear when the singer will appear in court in Minnesota.

The Minnesota charges being the latest, Kelly has faced accusations of abuse and manipulation of underage girls and women for more than 20 years. The performer has pleaded not guilty in the New York and Chicago cases and has denied abuse allegations for decades. In 2008, he was tried on child pornography charges and acquitted.  R Kelly Sexual Abuse Case: 11 New Charges Filed in Chicago Against the R&B Singer.

Kelly will next appear in Chicago court on September 4 for a status hearing on those charges. As for the Minnesota charges, the complaint charges Kelly with two felony counts for a jury to consider, one for engaging in prostitution with a minor and for hiring a minor for purposes of sexual contact. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2019 03:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).