Is R. Kelly still in prison? Yes. As of July 30, 2026, the disgraced R&B singer remains locked up at FCI Butner Medium I, a federal prison in North Carolina, with a projected release date of December 21, 2045. Searches about his case are trending again because Kelly has formally asked President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year federal sentence — a request the White House has so far brushed off. Last updated: July 30, 2026.
Where Is R. Kelly Now?
Robert Sylvester Kelly, 59, is serving his sentence at FCI Butner Medium I in Butner, North Carolina, a medium-security facility in the federal Bureau of Prisons system. According to the BOP, his projected release date is December 21, 2045, when he would be 78 years old. Because he was convicted in federal court, Kelly is in federal prison rather than a state facility — our guide to federal vs state prisons explains the key differences between the two systems.
What R. Kelly Was Convicted Of
Kelly’s time behind bars stems from two separate federal cases. In September 2021, a jury in the Eastern District of New York found him guilty of racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act in connection with a decades-long scheme to sexually abuse women and girls; he was sentenced in June 2022 to 30 years. In September 2022, a Chicago federal jury convicted him on child pornography charges, and the additional sentence pushed his effective term to roughly 31 years. We cover the full case history in our breakdown of what R. Kelly was convicted of.
Why R. Kelly Is Trending: The Clemency Request to Trump
In July 2026, attorneys for Kelly filed a formal request with the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the US Department of Justice asking President Trump to commute his sentence. The application, which is listed as pending on the office’s website, asks for a commutation — early release — rather than a full pardon, and Kelly’s legal team has argued that he was unfairly targeted by prosecutors. His lawyers have also previously claimed he faced danger in custody, including allegations in 2025 that he was hospitalized after an incident at Butner.
The White House has responded coolly. An official described the filing to reporters as a routine submission that came through the public clemency portal that anyone can use, and no action has been announced. For now, nothing about Kelly’s sentence has changed.
How Federal Clemency Works: Pardon vs Commutation
Under the US Constitution, the president has broad power to grant clemency for federal offenses. A pardon forgives the conviction itself, while a commutation shortens or ends the prison sentence but leaves the conviction in place. Applications normally go through the Office of the Pardon Attorney, which reviews petitions and makes recommendations, although a president can act without a recommendation at any time. Thousands of petitions are pending in any given year, and the vast majority are never granted. Importantly, clemency only applies to federal cases — a president cannot commute a state prison sentence.
Could R. Kelly Get Out of Prison Early Any Other Way?
Outside of clemency, Kelly’s options are limited. Parole was abolished in the federal system in 1987, so unlike many state prisoners — whose rules we cover in our state-by-state parole and probation guide — federal inmates must generally serve at least 85% of their sentence, with up to 54 days per year of good conduct time. That math is already built into his 2045 projected release date. His appeals in both federal cases have so far failed to overturn his convictions. For a deeper look at his release timeline, see our page on when R. Kelly is getting out of jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is R. Kelly still in prison in 2026?
Yes. He is incarcerated at FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina, serving an effective sentence of roughly 31 years from his two federal convictions, with a projected release date of December 21, 2045.
Did Trump pardon R. Kelly?
No. Kelly has formally asked for a commutation of his sentence, and the request is pending with the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The White House has downplayed the filing, and no clemency has been granted.
What is the difference between a pardon and a commutation?
A pardon forgives the conviction entirely, while a commutation only reduces or ends the prison sentence. Kelly’s application asks for a commutation, meaning his convictions would still stand even if it were granted.
When is R. Kelly’s release date?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists his projected release date as December 21, 2045, which accounts for the maximum good conduct time federal inmates can earn.
Can R. Kelly get parole?
No. The federal prison system abolished parole in 1987, so Kelly cannot be paroled. His realistic paths to earlier release are presidential clemency or a successful appeal, and his appeals to date have been unsuccessful.