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The federal appeals court in Chicago has upheld the 20-year sentence for disgraced singer R. Kelly on child pornography and enticement charges, rejecting his appeal just over a year after his initial sentencing. This decision comes as Kelly also faces a separate 30-year sentence from another case in New York.

Attorneys for Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, had appealed his sentence in February, arguing that the charges fell outside the statute of limitations. However, the three-judge panel at the Chicago-based federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the statute of limitations for sex crimes against children allows prosecution for the rest of the victims’ lives, affirming his conviction.

Kelly, 57, was sentenced last February following a conviction on six counts of child pornography and enticement. His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, expressed disappointment in the ruling but hinted at a potential appeal to the Supreme Court, indicating that the legal battle is far from over.

In addition to his legal troubles in Chicago, Kelly was also sentenced to 30 years in prison in New York in June 2022 for charges including racketeering and violating the Mann Act by trafficking women across state lines. A judge ruled last year that 19 years of his 20-year sentence in Chicago can be served concurrently with his 30-year sentence in New York, resulting in a total of 31 years behind bars for the former singer.

Federal Judge Amy St. Eve commented on the case, stating, “By employing a complex scheme to keep victims quiet, [Kelly] long evaded consequences. Those crimes caught up with him at last.”

The ongoing legal saga of R. Kelly continues to unfold as he faces the consequences of his actions in multiple jurisdictions.