Sean “Diddy” Combs may be able to shorten his more than four-year prison sentence; if he’s accepted into a special federal drug rehabilitation program.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who sentenced the hip-hop mogul last week, said he would recommend that the 55-year-old be considered for the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) while serving time.
The RDAP, run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), is a nine-month, 500-hour treatment course designed to help inmates overcome addiction and reshape destructive behavioral patterns. Successful completion can grant participants up to 12 months of early release, according to prison consultants.
Judge supports placement near New York
In a letter made public Wednesday, Judge Subramanian confirmed he will advise that Combs serve his time as close as possible to the New York metropolitan area, though the final placement will be decided by the BOP.
“The court recommends that the defendant be incarcerated as close as possible to the New York metropolitan area, and recommends that the defendant be considered for admission to any available substance abuse program, including the Bureau of Prisons’ RDAP, for which he qualifies,” Subramanian wrote, Business Insider reports.
Inside the federal RDAP program
Former inmates describe RDAP as demanding but potentially life-changing. “A lot of people quit; they find it hard,” said Justin Paperny, a former inmate and consultant with White Collar Advice, which helps defendants prepare for incarceration, told the outlet.
“But it helps correct flawed thinking and bad decision-making. Many love the program.”
Low-security prisons like FCI Fort Dix, which Combs’ lawyers previously requested for his placement, are among facilities that offer RDAP. Participants live separately from the general population during treatment and must complete therapy sessions, coursework, and relapse-prevention planning.
Judge encourages Combs’ rehabilitation
Combs was sentenced to four years and two months after being convicted of prostitution-related charges for transporting male escorts across state lines for drug-fueled sex encounters. During his trial, defense attorneys argued that Combs’ erratic and violent behavior stemmed from years of drug abuse.
In a letter to the court before sentencing, Combs described his efforts to change.
“Although this situation has been the hardest and darkest time in my life, good things have come out of my incarceration. I am now sober for the first time in 25 years," he said, per BBC News.
"I’ve been trying to deal with my drug abuse and anger issues and take accountability.”
At the sentencing hearing, Subramanian acknowledged the gravity of Combs’ crimes but offered cautious encouragement: “You are going to get through this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Early release still depends on Bureau of Prisons decision
Even with the judge’s support, gaining entry into RDAP and securing a sentence reduction is not guaranteed. Paperny noted that the Bureau of Prisons has discretion to deny early release for inmates convicted of violent crimes or offenses involving weapons; factors that could apply depending on Combs’ probation report.
“A lot of it comes down to the Bureau of Prisons’ discretion,” he said. “The judge’s recommendation helps, but it’s not binding.”