Daniel Hernandez, the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, was sentenced on Tuesday in New York to six weeks in prison for multiple violations of his supervised release. The sentence slightly exceeded the recommendation from federal prosecutors.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer stated that Hernandez’s actions represented a significant breach of the court’s trust.
Hernandez, 28, pleaded guilty to five violations, including unauthorized trips to Las Vegas and Sarasota, Florida, missing drug tests twice, and testing positive for methamphetamines.
Judge Engelmayer commented that Hernandez’s repeated violations suggested he thought the rules did not apply to him, possibly due to his fame as Tekashi 6ix9ine. Hernandez admitted to the violations but asked for a more lenient sentence, expressing his desire not to return to prison.
In 2020, Hernandez was granted early release after serving part of a sentence from a 2018 plea deal related to his involvement in the violent Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. He had been facing over 30 years in prison before striking the deal, which led to the convictions of several co-defendants.
Hernandez also testified at the trial of gang members Anthony Ellison and Aljermiah Mack, both of whom were convicted of racketeering conspiracy.
Hernandez gained global fame in late 2017 with his debut single “Gummo” and has since released albums, including “Leyenda Viva” in June 2023 and “Blackballed” in December 2023.
