Michael Williams has been sentenced to eight years in prison for setting a sexual assault victim of R. Kelly’s car on fire to intimidate her. A judge in Brooklyn handed down the sentence on Nov. 17.

United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly sentenced Williams to eight years in federal prison for torching the vehicle.

The prosecution said that Williams, 38, set the women’s car on fire in an attempt to intimidate her and stop her from becoming

a witness in the R. Kelly case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office released a statement to the press noting Williams’ crimes.

“In a violent act designed to instill fear and stop a witness from testifying at trial,” said the press release. “Williams set fire to the victim’s vehicle in the middle of the night while it was parked outside of a residence occupied by four adults and two children. Intimidating witnesses and threatening the safety of crime victims undermine the very fabric of our judicial system and will never be tolerated.”

“Williams attempted to use violence and intimidation to divert the course of justice and prevent a victim’s voice from being heard.

According to authorities, Williams doused the victim’s father’s car with gasoline and set it on fire in Florida outside of a home on June 11, 2020. Investigators later found an accelerant around the perimeter of the house. There were four adults and two children inside the home when the car exploded.

The victim’s mother dialed 911 and cried that her grandchildren had called her from the home and were terrified. Authorities found searches for diesel fuel and fertilizer on Williams’ computer. He also searched for countries without extradition treaties with the United States.

Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Geddes, Maria Cruz Melendez, and Nadia Shihata will prosecute the case.

R. Kelly was convicted of bribery, sexually assaulting underage girls, kidnapping and forced labor on Sept. 27 in New York and is awaiting sentencing.