Friend of R. Kelly’s gets 20 months for harassment of singer’s victims
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — One of the disgraced singer R. Kelly’s friends will be joining him in prison for a short period of time after he was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Thursday for his participation in the harassment of one of the singer’s victims and her month.
Justice Ann Donnelly, from the Eastern District of New York, sentenced 47-year-old Donnell Russell, of Chicago, Illinois, to 20 months in prison on Tuesday for his participation in a scheme to harass, intimidate, and cause substantial emotional distress to Jane Doe and her mother.
Jane Doe was a victim in the EDNY racketeering case against Robert Sylvester Kelly, also known as R. Kelly. Russell, who referred to himself as a manager, advisor, and friend of R. Kelly’s, harassed and threatened Jane Doe and her mother after Doe filed a civil lawsuit against Kelly and didn’t let up until after it was clear that Jane Doe was a victim in Kelly’s criminal case and would likely testify.
“For more than a year, the defendant engaged in a vicious campaign to harass, humiliate and threaten the victim in order to force her to dismiss her lawsuit against R. Kelly and stop speaking publicly about him,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.