CHICAGO — R&B singer R. Kelly made his first court appearance on Saturday and a judge set his bond at $1 million.
Kelly, who has been charged with multiple criminal counts of sexual abuse of several underage victims, turned himself in to police on Friday night.
The conditions of Kelly's bond includes that he has no contact with witnesses or alleged victims and that he turn in his passport.
He is also not allowed to have contact with anyone age 18 or younger.
Kelly, 52, faces 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago. A grand jury indictment listed four victims, at least three of whom were younger than 17 at the time of the alleged abuse between May 1998 and January 2010.
During a press conference after the bail hearing, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx described Kelly's alleged sexual assaults. One alleged victim met Kelly at her 16th birthday party, Foxx said. Another victim's alleged encounter with Kelly was recorded, Foxx said, adding that her office was in possession of the tape, in which Kelly allegedly engages in sex acts with a girl who repeatedly states she is 14 years old.
Foxx said that relatives of the 14 year old have identified her to the Cook County State Attorney's Office. Foxx described a third alleged victims, who she said was 24 years old, when Kelly allegedly attempted to forced her to engage in oral sex.
The fourth alleged victim had sex with Kelly while she was still a minor, according to Foxx.
After the hearing, Kelly's lawyer Steve Greenberg said Kelly must come up with 10 percent of the bail in order to be released from jail.
"This is someone who should be wealthy at this point in his career, but through mismanagement ... he really doesn't have any money at this point," Greenberg said. "I don't think he even owns the rights to, 'I Believe I Can Fly.'"
He said that he believed Kelly would be able to "come up with the money," adding that Kelly was "upset" being in jail.
"He's devastated. Here's someone who was once a huge star, and now he's sitting behind bars," Greenberg said.
Kelly's legal team is still building its defense, Greenberg said, adding that Kelly denies he ever forced anyone to have sex or that he ever had sex with minors.
"He's a rockstar. He doesn't have to have unconsensual sex," Greenberg said.
Kelly's next hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. CT on Feb. 25.
On Friday, his lawyer Steve Greenberg in Chicago said authorities are making Kelly a sacrificial lamb and that the musician "will go to bond court" on Saturday and will eventually "be acquitted."
Samira Puskar reported from Chicago. Kalhan Rosenblatt reported from Plantation, Florida.
