R. Kelly freed after child support is paid

R&B singer R. Kelly was released from jail Saturday for the second time in less than a month after someone paid off the $161,000 of overdue child support he owed his ex-wife, officials said.

Cara Smith, chief policy officer at the Cook County Sheriff ’s Department, said a check for the full amount of Kelly’s back child support had been handed over to the circuit court clerk’s office. A copy of the bond slip didn’t show who posted the money or that person’s relationship to Kelly, the Chicago Tribune reported. Smith said the individual wished to remain anonymous..

“I promise you we’re gonna straighten all this stuff out,” Kelly told reporters outside the Chicago jail. “That’s all I can say right now, I promise you.”

“I love my fans,” he added. One female fan told Kelly she loved him and pleaded with him to touch her hand, the Tribune reported.

The 52-year-old performer had been behind bars since Wednesday, after he failed to pony up the the full $161,000 during a child support hearing. Failure to pay child support in any amount over $20,000 is a felony under Illinois law.

Kelly had been out on bail in a separate case at the time, but was again taken into custody after he revealed to a judge that he’d only be able to pay off about a third of the money he owed by the mandated deadline.

A Cook County grand jury in February indicted the Grammy-winning artist on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse dating to 1998. He has consistently denied all allegations against him and has pleaded not guilty to each of the charges.

According to the indictment, Kelly has been accused of engaging in sexual acts with three minors between the ages of 13 and 17, while an age for a fourth victim has not been listed.