R. Kelly’s former manager Donnell Russell is set to join the singer behind bars after being sentenced to 20 months in prison for stalking and harassing one of the singer’s victims.
It’s reported that Russell pleaded guilty in July to using threatening and intimidating behavior to silence one of the women Kelly abused.
It’s understood that Russell used a pseudo-name to publish explicit photos of the woman online in an attempt to prevent her from testifying against his singer.
Kelly, however, was ultimately convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering and is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence.
The Prosecution said Russell, a self-described manager, advisor and friend to Kelly, used “reprehensible” tactics against the unnamed victim and her mother after she filed a civil case against the singer in 2018 BBC reports.
It was reported that he continued to harass the victim after it became clear that she was cited in New York State’s criminal case against Kelly, and was likely to testify.
According to BBC- Between November 2018 and February 2020, Russell is said to have threatened the release of sexually explicit pictures of the woman including sending texts that read: “Pull the plug or you will be exposed”
It was also shared that Russel created a fake Facebook page in 2019 under the alias Colon Dunn, and posted screenshots of text messages between Kelly and the victim, including explicit photographs.
Russell’s lawyers however argued he should not face jail time, this act was a mistake to an “otherwise exemplary life” before “crossing the line in his attempts to curry favor with Robert Kelly”.
However, prosecutors disagreed, saying it was important to show victims the law was on their side.
“The punishment meted out to the defendant today is a victory for crime victims, particularly those of sexual assault and abuse, who are often reluctant to come forward to law enforcement or pursue legal recourse, given the trauma and fear of retaliation associated with publicly discussing their experiences,” said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the eastern district of New York.
