Diddy lawyers request 14 month sentence after Mann Act convictions

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team has asked a federal judge to limit his prison term to no more than 14 months as he awaits sentencing on two convictions under the Mann Act. The 55-year-old music mogul, who was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges in July, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3 and faces up to 20 years if maximum terms are imposed consecutively.

According to a 182-page sentencing memorandum filed on September 22 and obtained by PEOPLE, Combs’ attorneys argue that he has already served nearly 13 months at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center and that his incarceration has been transformative. They stated their client has achieved sobriety for the first time in years, engaged in rehabilitation, and become a positive influence on fellow inmates. The memo described his imprisonment as “life changing, productive, and a testament to his desire to return to his family and community.”

The filing also recounted Combs’ personal history, including the murder of his father when he was three, his struggles with addiction, and what his lawyers called “violent relationships” with former partners connected to his convictions. His defense emphasized the “profound trauma” he has endured and claimed that his erratic behavior in the past was largely tied to substance abuse.

Combs’ team further highlighted his lack of prior criminal history, his role as father to seven children, and his responsibility to care for his elderly mother. They argued that a longer sentence would exceed what is necessary for justice and rehabilitation.

Federal prosecutors, however, have recommended a sentence of 51 to 63 months, significantly higher than the defense’s request. The court will determine his final sentence at next week’s hearing.