R. Kelly has filed a formal request, imploring Donald Trump to commute his 30-year prison sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking.
The request was first made public this week, and is now visible on the Justice Department’s website. With the move, the convicted sex offender is seeking to reduce his sentence, rather than request a full pardon.
The documents submitted in the request have not been made public, and the website lists the request as pending with the White House Office of the Pardon Attorney (as per Rolling Stone).
In a statement to the outlet, a White House official said that the move “appears to be a random submission through the public portal which anyone can submit an application through”.
They also clarified that the submission “should not be interpreted to mean anything other than an individual has chosen to submit a request”, and outlined that “the team that reviews clemency requests at the White House is not tracking this request at this time”.
R. Kelly is reportedly seeking to have his 30-year prison sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking commuted by Donald Trump.
His attorney has allegedly submitted a commutation request to the Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, which is currently listed as… pic.twitter.com/mqxqqMpA7G
— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) July 15, 2026
“The White House has a thorough review process for all clemency requests, with the President being the ultimate decider,” they continued.
Kelly is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina, convicted of federal racketeering, sexual exploitation of children, kidnapping, forced labour and sex trafficking charges in 2021.
The following year, the 58-year-old was also found guilty of six counts of child pornography and enticement of minors for sex. He was sentenced to an additional 20 years in prison in February 2023. Kelly will serve both sentences concurrently, effectively extending his incarceration to 31 years.
In 2025, his lawyer filed a motion for a new trial and also requested the immediate release of Kelly on bond, due to an alleged plot against his life. The lawyer alleged that the convicted singer was denied treatment for blood clots in his lungs, and also claimed that a “white supremacist” said prison officials had recruited him to harm Kelly.
The lawyer shared at the time that he was going to file his appeal directly to President Trump as “Kelly does not have the time, with his life in danger, to go through the normal channels”.
Rolling Stone outlines that the request for bond was dismissed, and a federal judge has not ruled on Kelly’s motion for a new trial yet.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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