Daniel Hernandez, better known as the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, was sentenced to two years in prison plus five years of supervised probation on federal racketeering charges, despite cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s office in a case against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
While Hernandez has spent the past 13 months since his arrest in prison, Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled that the charges against him were too severe for that sentence to be considered time served. The 13 months time served will count as part of the new two-year sentence. In laying out the sentence, Judge Engelmayer recounted the various threats Hernandez made against other rappers. He also dismissed Hernandez’s claims that he was a passive participant in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, saying instead that the rapper and gang benefited equally from the relationship.
The sentencing hearing featured speeches from one of Hernandez’s alleged victims, referred to only as “LL.” The woman claimed that, because of Hernandez, she caught a stray bullet in her foot and demanded an apology from the rapper. During his own speech, Hernandez did apologize to LL, while also expressing remorse for his actions and discussing encounters with young fans who, he claimed, helped him put his responsibilities as a celebrity into perspective. He mentioned meeting a five-year-old named Franklin who was dying of cancer, and how that had helped him realize he represents hope to so many young people.
Hernandez was arrested in 2018 alongside other purported members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. He was hit with nine overlapping charges for gun possession, attempted murder and gang activity, and while he initially pleaded not guilty, he changed his plea to guilty in January. Around that time, reports surfaced that Hernandez had decided to cooperate with the government, though it was later revealed that he started working with the prosecution the day after his arrest.
Hernandez ended up being a key witness for the prosecution in the trials for Anthony Ellison and Aljermiah Mack, both of whom were found guilty on various charges. Even with his cooperation and guilty plea, Hernandez was still facing 37 years to life in prison, though his testimony did earn him a 51K letter in which prosectors recommended his sentence be reduced. Hernandez also sent his own letter to Judge Engelmayer, expressing remorse over his actions and affiliations with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
As Tekashi 6ix9ine, Hernandez rose to prominence blindingly quickly. He made a name for himself as a flashy, tattooed provocateur when SoundCloud Rap was at its height. It was once he began garnering attention for his music that he sought an affiliation with the Nine Treys, partially to lend his online persona more gravitas. Things got out of hand from there, in Hernandez’ telling, and his affiliation with the gang led to stolen money, a kidnapping, and, eventually, the arrest and federal charges.
As he awaited his sentencing, Tekashi 6ix9ine notably signed a new record deal with his old label 10K Projects. The label signed the rapper to a two-album deal, one in English and the other in Spanish. It’s unclear how much of the albums will pull from prerecorded material versus newly recorded work.