Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has officially received a prison sentence for a series of charges he pleaded guilty to earlier this year, and as expected, 6ix9ine was dealt a softer blow thanks to his cooperation with federal prosecutors. The Los Angeles Times reports that 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, has been sentenced to two years in prison with credit for the 13 months he already served. In addition to the prison time, Hernandez has been ordered to five years of supervision upon release and 300 hours of community service.
Earlier this year, the 23-year-old rapper pleaded guilty to nine separate felony charges associated with his involvement in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. Hernandez was charged with committing firearms offenses, racketeering, conspiracy, and drug trafficking, all of which were related to a series of violent crimes in New York—including a shooting in which an innocent bystander was wounded. Hernandez entered the guilty plea as part of a deal he cut with federal prosecutors, agreeing to reveal details of the activities of various gang members. The rapper became associated with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods shortly after his first single, “GUMMO,” drew attention online with its provocative music video. According to a government sentencing memo, Hernandez was not a member of the Nine Trey gang until after the music video was released. The rapper admitted that he capitalized on the gang’s notoriety to boost his own career, which the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods permitted in exchange for money from Hernandez to be used in illicit activities.
Despite this apparent gang-for-hire relationship, Judge Paul Engelmayer described Hernandez as a “central figure in a vicious and brutal gang” during the sentencing hearing. He went on to praise Hernandez for his “extraordinary” cooperation as a federal informant.