Kodak Black (real name Dieuson Octave) was back in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida courtroom early Thursday (May 4) to receive his sentence for violating his probation. The 19-year-old Pompano Beach, Florida native received 364 days in a county jail, but may only have to serve one month of his sentence if he is able to complete life skills courses in jail, according to the Sun Sentinel.
Black was given a chance to address the court and stated his most recent trip to jail had been a “reality check” for him. He also apologized to his mother for causing her any pain as well as Michael Kushner of Atlantic Records, his label. Kushner even offered to get the troubled artist a full-time mentor and advisor.
The burgeoning rap star was arrested in February on six felony counts of probation violations after taking unauthorized trips, including to a Miami-Dade strip club and boxing match in Ohio. State prosecutors were originally pushing for the maximum sentence of eight years, but Judge Michael Lynch gave Kodak a more lenient sentence despite the rapper being found guilty of five of the charges.
In 2016, Judge Lisa Porter put him on five years of strict probation as well as one year of house arrest after Black was arrested on eight charges, including robbery, false imprisonment and marijuana possession. He was instructed that he could only leave his Pembroke Pines home for recording and performing, and was required to submit an itinerary to his probation officer and get all work-related activities pre-approved.
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His probation officer, Sandra Friedman, spoke on his behalf during Thursday’s hearing and said Black was “polite, honest, and generally good” about getting her his itinerary, but acknowledged he needed more structure.
During all of this, Black fired his two previous attorneys, Gary Kollin and Allan Stephen Zamren, and hired a new one, Bradford Cohen, who insists he will appeal the conviction.
This sentence doesn’t end Black’s legal troubles. He’s still facing a charge of criminal sexual conduct in South Carolina, in a case where he is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in February 2016. He’s facing a maximum sentence of 30 years if found guilty.
