R&B singer R. Kelly charged with aggravated sex abuse

Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Rhythm and blues singer R. Kelly has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse in Chicago, prosecutors said Friday.

The charges were filed Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune reported, citing court records. They relate to incidents involving four victims, at least three of whom were minors at the time the events took place between 1998 and 2010, prosecutors said.

A judge signed an arrest warrant for the singer Friday afternoon. Kelly is due to have a bond hearing Saturday afternoon.

However, Kelly attorney Steven Greenberg said Friday afternoon he'd not learned of any new charges.

Kelly has long faced accusations of mistreating women, particularly minors. In 2008, he was acquitted of 14 counts related to child pornography in a Chicago trial.

In that case, Kelly was accused of videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl, who prosecutors said was his goddaughter.

Pressure has mounted on the R&B artist in recent months, particularly after the airing of the television documentary Surviving R. Kelly. In mid-January, Sony decided it would no longer release new music from the artist. About a week earlier, the 2013 Lady Gaga single "Do What U Want (With My Body)," which features Kelly, was removed from streaming services.