A 24-year-old woman is alleging she had a sexual relationship with singer R. Kelly when she was a teen.
Jerhonda Johnson Pace told Buzzfeed she was 15 and a fan when she met the singer in 2008 outside the Chicago courtroom where he was on trial for child pornography charges.
Now a married mother of three, Pace alleges that she began a sexual relationship with Kelly after he was acquitted of those charges. She was 16 at the time, younger than the 17-year-old age of consent in Illinois.
Pace told the publication that despite having signed a nondisclosure agreement for which she received payment from Kelly, she said she felt compelled to come forward after a recent Buzzfeed report that included new allegations that Kelly is controlling a group of women (none of whom are minors) in what some of their parents describe as an abusive “cult.”
“If I can speak out, and I can help them get out of that situation, that’s what I will do,” Pace said. “I didn’t have anybody to speak up on my behalf when I was going through what I was going through with him.”
Kelly has denied any wrong doing and has not been charged with any crimes connected with the allegations.
In a statement to CNN on Tuesday, Kelly’s publicist, Trevian Kutti denied Pace’s allegations.
“The allegations against Mr. Kelly are false, and are being made by individuals known to be dishonest. It is clear these continuing stories are the result of the effort of those with personal agendas who are working in concert to interfere with and damage his career,” the statement read. “Mr. Kelly again denies any and all wrong doing and is taking appropriate legal action to protect himself from ongoing defamation.”
