Celebrity gangster? Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine gets away with 2yrs in jail after testifying against former gang
Rapper Tekashi 6x9ine faced decades behind bars due to his ties to crimes committed by the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, but he was given a much lighter sentence thanks to his being a star witness for the prosecution.
Rapper Tekashi 6x9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, will be walking the streets a free man very soon. Despite facing potentially decades behind bars for his affiliation with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang, the 23-year-old rapper was sentenced to just two years behind bars on Wednesday. Because he has already served 13 months of that sentence, Tekashi will be a free man before 2020 is up.
Once out, Tekashi will be on supervised release for five years, face a $35,000 fine and need to complete 300 hours of community service.
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Though the rapper’s lawyers were seeking an immediate release with time served being his main punishment, Judge Paul Engelmayer disagreed.
“In my judgment, your conduct is too violent and selfish to make 13 months reasonable. You will not be going free today,” he told the rapper, whose hair reportedly contained no traces of the famous rainbow die he used to sport when performing.
Engelmayer revealed that Tekashi met with federal authorities over 20 times. Prosecutors praised the young man’s “extraordinary” cooperation, which led to two high-ranking members of the Gangsta Bloods gang to be arrested, in a letter to the judge before sentencing.
The rapper was arrested last year on racketeering, weapons and drug charges. He pled guilty to his crimes earlier this year and became a star witness for the prosecution against the Gangsta Bloods gang, with which he had been affiliated since the beginning of his career. He said his role in the gang was to provide financial support through his music career and in exchange he got “street credibility” and “protection.”
The rapper’s testimony against his own gang has mostly earned him mockery on social media, especially now that he has received only two years after facing possible sentence of 47 years.
“The fact that 6ix9ine only got 2 years when he was facing a RICO charge is beyond me lmao,” one Twitter user responded.
“6ix9ine should feel lucky. With all his crimes getting only 2 years,” added another.
There is no word yet on how Tekashi will spend his life once outside of prison, but he said in a letter to the judge before sentencing he wants to encourage others to avoid getting affiliated with gangs. Prosecutors send in their own letter that the rapper and his family will need to “take extra safety precautions” in the future thanks to Tekashi’s cooperation.
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