R. Kelly‘s former manager James Mason turned himself in to authorities Friday on charges that he threatened the family of Joycelyn Savage, one of the singer’s girlfriends.
Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer confirmed the arrest to Rolling Stone, saying that Mason was charged with one count of “terroristic threats and acts,” a felony.
Mason turned himself in early Friday morning and went before a magistrate judge. He was released on $10,000 bond on the condition that he stay away from the Savages and have no contact with them of any kind. He is also banned from leaving the country as part of the bond agreement. The district attorney will next take the case before the grand jury before deciding whether it moves forward. The D.A.’s office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
“Let this be a message to R. Kelly’s staff that we won’t be bullied or threatened. We will continue to pursue legal action against any and all threats to the safety of the Savage family,” Gerald Griggs, attorney for the Savage family, said in a statement. “Our goal has always been to bring Joycelyn Savage home safely and we will not be deterred.”
The arrest warrant issued against Mason was initially filed in May 2018. According to Buzzfeed, Mason warned Joycelyn’s father Timothy Savage, “I’m gonna do harm to you and your family. When I see you, I’m gonna get you. I’m going to fucking kill you.” The police report also states that Angelo Clary, the father of another Kelly girlfriend Azriel Clary, was listening in on the phone call when Mason threatened Savage.
Joycelyn Savage’s parents claim that she is one of the “brainwashed” women that Kelly has in his alleged “sex cult”; in the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, her family revealed that many attempts to communicate with their daughter for the first time in over two years have been thwarted by the singer. Savage herself, however, has lobbied on behalf of the singer, appearing in numerous videos to proclaim that she remains with Kelly by choice and nothing is afoul.
Last week, Chicago police visited Kelly’s home after receiving an anonymous tip that he was holding multiple women against their will. “On January 11th, 2019, 18th District Officers followed up on the tip, which involved checking the well-being of the two women specified in the tip,” officer Michelle Tannehill said in a statement. “Officers made contact with Robert Kelly at his residence and were allowed inside. Officers spoke with both women who stated that they were there voluntarily, and there was nothing wrong. The tip was unfounded.”
Mason declined to comment when reached by Rolling Stone, but said he would be issuing a statement on Friday. An attorney for Kelly did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Henry James Mason Mug Shot
Credit: Henry County Sherif’s Office