Rapper Offset has narrowly avoided jail time after a judge ordered him to complete 50 hours of community service and attend an anger management programme as part of a diversion agreement stemming from an assault charge. The agreement was approved despite prosecutors' opposition, who described the incident as a "crime of violence against the victim".
The altercation occurred on March 13, 2025, at MedMen cannabis dispensary near Los Angeles International Airport, where security guard Jim Leobardo Sanchez was allegedly physically attacked by Offset. According to court filings, Cephus refused to provide identification when asked, repeatedly inquiring "Do you know who I am?" before pushing the security guard on his vest and punching him once to the left cheek.
Sanchez subsequently filed a lawsuit against Cephus last October, alleging immediate and severe pain following the incident. He continues to experience persistent headaches, neck pain, and related symptoms, the complaint stated. The security guard also claimed that several unidentified individuals accompanying Offset "grabbed, pushed, and further assaulted and battered" him.
Under the terms of the agreement, the criminal charge against Cephus will be dismissed if he completes 50 hours of community service, attends an anger management programme, and refrains from any further legal violations over the next 12 months. The judge extended the six-month diversion period initially sought by Offset's lawyer to a full year during a hearing last week, which the rapper did not attend.
A separate civil case related to the incident is scheduled for a hearing on August 5, 2026. In her motion for diversion, Christy O'Connor argued that Cephus had maintained a clean record for over 14 months since the incident and was working steadily to support himself and his children. The defence also implied that Sanchez's claims may have been exaggerated, noting that he appeared to resume his duties shortly after the confrontation.