Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine will serve time in prison despite snitching on fellow gang members.
Tekashi was sentenced to two years in prison and five years of supervised release in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday (18.12.19).
Paul Engelmayer, the judge overseeing the case, castigated Tekashi, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, but praised his cooperation with prosecutors.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to several crimes related to his involvement with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods and testified against fellow gang members.
Both prosecutors and the attorney representing Hernandez had asked Engelmayer to give the rapper a reduced sentence. He faced up to life in prison for his crimes, with a minimum sentence of 37 years.
Few friends or family members were in attendance at the sentencing, as the defence said Hernandez’s mother, brother, and girlfriend feared for their safety. In another row, sat Hernandez’s biological father, who Hernandez hadn’t seen since he was 9 years old.
“I failed these people. They believed in Daniel Hernandez. I was too busy making the negative image in my 69 persona,” Hernandez said at his sentencing, wearing a blue jail uniform. “I know God has a bigger plan for me. I want to inspire the youth that it never too late to change.”
The 13 months Hernandez has already spent in jail will count toward his sentence, so he must spend an additional 11 months in prison. Engelmayer also imposed 300 hours of community service and a $35,000 fine.
Hernandez was arrested in November 2018 on charges including racketeering, illegal firearms possession, and aiding in an attempted murder. He pleaded guilty in January.
In the months that followed, Hernandez provided officials with information about the inner workings of Nine Trey, an East Coast offshoot of the Bloods and testified in September against Anthony “Harv” Ellison and Aljermiah “Nuke” Mack, whom prosecutors have described as high-ranking members of the organization.
