R. Kelly has formally submitted a request to President Donald Trump seeking commutation of his 30-year federal prison sentence for sex crimes, according to court records released by the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The request is reported as currently pending and is not a request for a full pardon. The filing is listed in the pardon office records and was first reported by the Chicago Tribune, later covered by other outlets. Kelly was convicted in federal court in New York in September 2021 on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Following the conviction, he received a sentence of 30 years in prison. The commutation request is treated as an effort to reduce or alter the length of his sentence rather than to erase the underlying conviction. The documents do not indicate an outcome at this stage, and the matter remains before the President for consideration.