NEW YORK — Rapper, record producer and record executive Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced Friday to 4 years and 2 months in prison in case involving sex workers, violence and “freak-offs.” The judge said a lengthy sentence was needed for deterrence and that he was unconvinced that if Combs is released these crimes won’t happen again.

Combs, 55, was convicted in July of flying people across state lines for drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters. Jurors acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that could have carried a life sentence.

Combs' sentencing hearing opened Friday with prosecutors pushing for a long prison term while his children tearfully asked the judge for mercy in a sordid criminal case involving the hip-hop mogul's girlfriends and male sex workers.