MIAMI – R. Kelly, already facing child pornography charges in Illinois, was arrested Wednesday in Florida on additional child pornography charges after investigators said they found photos of him having sex with a girl.
Kelly, whose first name is Robert, was arrested at a Miami-Dade County hotel. Kelly was released from jail on $12,000 bond about three hours after his arrest and was hustled into a waiting car to avoid reporters.
A statement issued by Kelly's representative, Allan Mayer, called the arrest "a classic case of piling on, in which a local jurisdiction tries to make headlines by attaching itself to a celebrity case."
"As far as we can tell, the charges all relate to R. Kelly's arrest last summer. In other words, there is nothing new here," he said in a statement.
The Grammy-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 said the latest charges were filed after pornographic digital images were found stored in Kelly's camera equipment. It had been seized during a search last June 6 in his rented Davenport home after the singer was arrested there on the Illinois warrant. Davenport is about 35 miles southwest of Orlando.
"In three of the photos he is engaged in sexual conduct with a minor," Judd said.
Judd would not say whether the unidentified minor in the photos was the same girl in the video made in Chicago, where Kelly lives. Police were still trying to determine where the pictures were taken before considering any additional charges, Judd said.
He said it took seven months to issue the Polk County warrant because the State Attorney's Office needed time to investigate.
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'."
The Illinois investigation began after the Chicago Sun-Times reported last February that it had received the tape anonymously and passed it along to Chicago police.
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.
Kelly's new album, "Chocolate Factory," is scheduled to be released in February. He was nominated for a Grammy earlier this month for the song "The World's Greatest," from the Ali soundtrack.
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