EXPLAINER: How will R. Kelly sentence impact other trials?
R. Kelly could be in his 80s before the singer is free again, based on a 30-year prison term imposed this week by a New York federal judge for parlaying his fame to sexually abuse young fans, including some who were children.
And if the 55-year-old loses at three related trials in coming months, he could be staring at decades more behind bars. That prospect, said one of his lawyers not involved in the New York trial, could lead Kelly to pursue a plea deal.
Here’s a look at the potential impact of Kelly’s lengthy prison term in New York on those other cases: