MIAMI, Florida (AP) — R. Kelly, already facing child pornography charges in Illinois, was arrested Wednesday in Florida on additional child pornography charges after investigators said they found 12 photographs of a nude girl at the singer’s home.
Kelly, whose first name is Robert, was arrested without incident at a Miami-Dade County hotel. He was being held at the county jail. Bond was set at $12,000.
The Grammy award-winning artist has been out on bond and awaiting trial on 21 counts of child pornography in Chicago. Those charges stem from a videotape authorities say shows him having sex with a 13-year-old girl. Kelly, 36, has denied that charge.
Col. Grady Judd of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office told WSVN-TV that three photos show Kelly having sex with a female under 18. In the other nine photos, the female is nude. He said the photos were found last June during a search of a home Kelly rented in Davenport after he was arrested there on the Illinois warrant. Davenport, in Polk County, is about 35 miles southwest of Orlando.
The R&B singer is known for hits ranging from the Grammy-winning, gospel-like “I Believe I Can Fly” to sexually charged material such as “Bump ‘n’ Grind,” “Feelin’ On Yo Booty” and “Your Body’s Callin’.”
Kelly also has been the focus of at least four lawsuits, three of which accuse him of having sex with underage girls. He has acknowledged settling two of the lawsuits regarding underage sex, but his lawyers have said they will fight the third.