A former prosecutor has warned that Sean “Diddy” Combs will likely face a lengthy prison sentence after beating his top sex crimes charges.
The music mogul, whose case has attracted national attention, was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution and not guilty of the sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
According to the legal expert, the possibility of a lengthy sentence was hinted at by the trial judge, who also denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bail following the verdict.
Judge May Agree With The Prosecution’s ‘Guidelines’ For Sentencing
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After several weeks of trial, the jury recently reached a decision on the charges against Diddy. They acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking charges that could have resulted in a life sentence if he had been convicted.
What remained were the lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, which many viewed as a legal victory for Diddy.
However, a former federal prosecutor, Jennifer Beidel, has warned that despite the reduced severity of the charges, Judge Arun Subramanian may still “throw the book” at the rapper during sentencing.
According to Beidel, Subramanian, referring to Diddy’s propensity for violence while denying his request for a $1 million bail bond, hinted at this possibility.
“He is saying he thinks that Diddy poses a danger to society,” Beidel told the Daily Mail.
She added, “In the bond hearing, both sides did a guidelines calculation, and the government’s was higher. I think the judge is probably signaling that he’s gonna be receptive to some of those additions to the guidelines range, and when the guidelines range goes up, the sentence usually goes up.”
Diddy’s Lawyer Argued He Should Only Receive A Two Years Sentence
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For now, it remains unclear how many years could be added if Judge Subramanian chooses to throw the book at Diddy.
However, what is known is that the prosecutors will seek a 20-year maximum sentence for the rapper.
On the other hand, Diddy’s lawyers have argued that, under federal sentencing guidelines, he should face about two years in prison.
If that turns out to be the case, Diddy could be released in just over a year, as he has already spent nine months in jail since his arrest in September last year.
In the meantime, with his bail bond denied, Diddy remains in jail until his sentencing.
A sentencing date has been set for October 3, but it may be rescheduled for an earlier date during a hearing scheduled for next week.
Diddy Is Facing Many Civil Lawsuits
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Beyond the possibility of facing a long sentence, Diddy also has to contend with the numerous civil suits he is embroiled in.
Since his arrest in September, he has been hit with over 60 lawsuits from both men and women, including allegations of sexual assault, rape, and abuse.
Some of his accusers have chosen to remain anonymous while filing their lawsuits, while others have been publicly named.
Most recently, a male escort named Clayton Howard, who Diddy allegedly hired for “freak offs,” filed a lawsuit against the rapper and his ex, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Escort Claims Diddy And Cassie Drugged And Traumatized Him
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In the recent lawsuit filed by Howard, he claimed Diddy and Cassie trafficked him for the purposes of commercial sex, which he described as “entertainment to satisfy their sexual fetishes and personal ambitions.”
Even worse, he alleged that he was drugged, manipulated, and traumatized by the duo, whom he described as being involved in a toxic and abusive relationship, as supported by reports from Diddy’s trial.
He also claimed to have suffered physical and psychological injury, lost wages and benefits, medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, as well as loss of enjoyment of life.
The Rapper’ Will Not Back Down’ From His Pending Civil Lawsuits
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Despite the barrage of civil lawsuits, the rapper is prepared to fight for his innocence in the coming days.
His lawyer, Erica Wolff, stated in a press release following the verdict that Diddy “will not back down” and intends to fight all the civil cases to achieve his “full vindication,” according to The New York Times.
She also claimed that the jury’s decision in the sex crimes trial is proof that the rapper is innocent of the allegations in his numerous civil suits.
The outcome helped prove “what we have been saying about the civil cases since day one: they are all fabricated attempts to extort windfall payments from an innocent man,” the attorney emphasized.
“Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone,” she added. “From the beginning, we have vigorously defended against the civil plaintiffs’ made-up claims with full confidence that Mr. Combs would prevail in the criminal case, and he did.”
