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A judge declined Wednesday to grant bail to Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥� Combs, potentially allowing the hip-hop mogul to be freed to await sentencing in his sex crimes case.

The bond decision came after a jury convicted Combs of federal prostitution-related offenses but acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Combs, 55, has been behind bars since his arrest in September.

The Grammy-winning impresario stands convicted of two counts of a crime 鈥� transportation to engage in prostitution 鈥� that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. But jurors cleared him of charges that could have put him behind bars for life.

His lawyers argued that the acquittal on those counts changed the legal landscape enough that he should be freed on $1 million bond. Prosecutors said he remained a flight risk.

Judge Arun Subramanian said the applicable law didn鈥檛 allow for Combs鈥� release at this point.

Among other reasons, the judge noted Combs鈥� violent history: 鈥淎t trial, the defense conceded the defendent’s violence in his personal relationships, saying it happened with Cassie and Jane.鈥�

As the judge spoke, Combs remained stoic with his hands at his lap.

Earlier Wednesday he dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put聽聽behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and still faces prison time but is seeking to be freed from jail to await sentencing.

The mixed result capped a sordid legal odyssey that shattered Combs鈥� affable 鈥淧uff Daddy鈥� image and derailed his career as a Grammy-winning artist and music executive, fashion entrepreneur, brand ambassador and reality TV star.

Combs was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act.

The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but Combs鈥� lawyers said that under federal sentencing guidelines he鈥檇 likely face about two years in prison. Prosecutors, citing Combs鈥� violence and other factors, said the guidelines would call for at least four to five years. Jailed since his September arrest, he鈥檚 already served nine months behind bars.

In a triumph for Combs, the聽聽acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges related to allegations that he used his money, power and frightening physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fueled聽聽with the men.

颁辞尘产蝉鈥櫬犅爐hat the women were willing participants and that none of his violence justified the severity of the charges.

Marc Agnifilo, a lawyer for Combs, asked that his client be immediately released because the federal Mann Act crimes were of a 鈥渧astly different nature鈥� than sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey said he should remain incarcerated as a danger to the community and a threat to flee. She cited evidence of physical abuse and 鈥減rolific use and distribution of drugs鈥� that emerged during the trial.

鈥淚 do believe we鈥檒l be seeking a substantial period of incarceration,鈥� Comey said.

Both sides filed written submissions expanding on their arguments before Subramanian鈥檚 decision.

There鈥檚 no date yet for sentencing, when the judge will decide on Combs鈥� punishment for the prostitution conviction.

Verdict follows weeks of harrowing testimony

Federal officials involved in the case responded to the outcome by noting that sex crimes 鈥渁re all too present in many aspects of our society.鈥�

鈥淣ew Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice,鈥� Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Ricky J. Patel, who heads federal Homeland Security Investigations鈥� New York office, said in a statement.

Jurors deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before announcing their verdict. It came after they said late Tuesday that they had decided on four counts but were聽. At that point, the judge told them to keep deliberating and keep the partial verdict under wraps.

颁辞尘产蝉听, which featured 34 witnesses as well as聽聽of the rapper attacking his former girlfriend聽, the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura.

Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement after the verdict that 鈥渂y coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.鈥�

Later, he asked the judge in a letter to deny Combs bail, saying 鈥淢s. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community.鈥�

Cassie testified for four days about her turbulent 11-year relationship with Combs, which began after she signed with his Bad Boy record label.

Cassie said Combs became obsessed with voyeuristic encounters, arranged with the help of his staff, that involved sex workers and copious amounts of baby oil. During the sex events, called 鈥渇reak-offs鈥� or 鈥渉otel nights,鈥� Combs would order Cassie to do things with other men that she found humiliating, she testified.

When things didn鈥檛 go Combs’ way, he would beat her, she said.

鈥淚鈥檓 not a rag doll. I鈥檓 somebody鈥檚 child,鈥� Cassie told Combs after he dragged her down a hotel hallway in 2016.

Another ex-girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym 鈥淛ane,鈥� told the jury she repeatedly told Combs she聽.

鈥淚鈥檓 not an animal. I need a break,鈥� she told him. Nevertheless, she said she felt 鈥渙bligated鈥� to comply with his demands, in part because he paid her rent.

The AP does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has.

Defense calls case an invasion of privacy

The trial鈥檚 most famous witness,聽, said Combs broke into his home in late 2011 after learning he and Cassie were dating. After his car was firebombed a few weeks later, Cudi 鈥� whose real name is Scott Mescudi 鈥� said he knew Combs 鈥渉ad something to do鈥� with it. Combs denied it.

Combs鈥� defense team acknowledged that he could be violent but argued that prosecutors were intruding in his personal life. In his closing remarks to the jury, Agnifilo said it wasn鈥檛 illegal for Combs to make 鈥渉omemade porn鈥� with his girlfriends.

Rapper, entrepreneur and criminal defendant

Combs was at the center of the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop battles of the 1990s and became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades, diversifying his interests with the Sean John fashion label,聽, a cable TV channel and a聽.

In 2001, Combs was at the center of one of the biggest hip-hop trials of its era, stemming from a Manhattan nightclub shooting that injured three people in 1999. Combs was acquitted of charges that he took an illegal gun into the club and tried to bribe his driver to take the fall.

His career recovered quickly that time.

Combs鈥� reputation may have suffered irreparable damage, though, after Cassie sued him in November 2023, alleging years of sexual and physical abuse. He settled the next day for $20 million, but more lawsuits by other women and men followed.

Most are still pending.