R. Kelly’s manager charged with phone threats to theater

NEW YORK – R. Kelly’s supervisor has been arrested in California on rates that he threatened a capturing at a Manhattan theater two a long time ago, forcing an evacuation and the cancellation of the screening of a documentary addressing allegations that the singer experienced sexually abused girls and girls.

Donnell Russell, 45, of Chicago, was billed with conspiracy and with threatening physical damage by interstate communication.

He appeared remotely Friday from Los Angeles before a justice of the peace decide in Manhattan. He was permitted to remain free of charge on $75,000 bail. An e-mail in search of remark was despatched to his courtroom-appointed law firm.

The demand comes on the heels of Russell remaining billed in Brooklyn federal courtroom before this 7 days with harassing a Kelly target and her mother following the unknown girl filed a lawsuit in opposition to Kelly. Authorities mentioned Russell despatched a letter to the woman’s law firm with cropped nude pictures of her and afterwards despatched her a textual content warning her: “Pull the plug or you will be exposed.”

In the newest circumstance, authorities mentioned the threats by Kelly’s supervisor and adviser in December 2018 pressured the cancellation of the screening of Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” series at the NeueHouse Madison Square as police took precautions, though they determined that there was no imminent danger.

Acting U.S. Lawyer Audrey Strauss mentioned in a launch that a range of the Grammy award-successful R&B singer’s accusers ended up to attend the screening.

“Threats of gun violence aimed at scary and silencing victims of sexual abuse are unlawful as effectively as unacceptable,” she mentioned.

William F. Sweeney Jr., head of New York’s FBI place of work, mentioned it “defies logic that a danger like the just one alleged listed here could quit victims from speaking about their alleged abuse.”

Sweeney mentioned Russell succeeded in shutting down just one airing of the documentary but unsuccessful to silence the girls showcased in the movie.

“Each and each day, we do anything in our ability to make confident victims of sexual abuse have the prospect to be listened to, and will go on to do so irrespective of individuals who allegedly use violence as a indicates to quit them,” he mentioned.

Kelly stays jailed in Chicago following pleading not guilty to dozens of point out and federal sexual intercourse crime rates in Illinois, Minnesota and New York.

The rates vary from sexual assault to main a racketeering plan aimed at providing Kelly with girls. Kelly also is accused of acquiring unprotected sexual intercourse with a minimal in 2015 without having disclosing he experienced herpes.