New York-based rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, after facing up to 47 years to life in prison on numerous federal charges he received alongside his former members in the Nine Treys Blood Gang, on various racketeering, firearms offenses, and narcotics trafficking charges. The rapper was given leniency due to his testimony as a state’s witness, where he provided ample testimony against his former associates in the gang, who have been charged with assault, attempted murder, racketeering, narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses.
The 13 months he has already spent behind bars will count toward his sentence, meaning that he will only have to spend 11 more months imprisoned. While Tekashi 6ix9ine will be released by the end of 2020, he’ll have to put in 300 hours of community service and pay a $35,000 fine, in addition to serving five years on probation.
Prosecutors dropped a gun charge against the rapper, which also reduced his minimum sentence to 37 years. Most of Tekashi 6ix9ine’s testimony was aimed against his former gang associates Aljermiah “Nuke” Mack and Anthony “Harv” Ellison, who along with a person identified only as Sha, were involved in kidnapping, robbing, and beating the rapper in July 2018, in connection to Ellison’s firing as his bodyguard.
During his testimony, the rapper made several revelations, claiming that he ordered an assault on rival rapper Trippie Red, was party to a shooting of Casanova at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and made allegations that hip-hop stars Cardi B and Jim Jones were Nine Trey members. Prior to the testimony, the rapper had originally claimed that his association with the gang was “an act,” before later claiming that he was “brainwashed,” by the gang.
Judge Paul Engelmayer, who ruled on his decision however, stated that the rapper benefited from his association with the gang. “You used Nine Trey as a potent means of getting even with your rivals,” Engelmeyer argued. “You claim you ‘foolishly commingled with members of the gang,’ but it’s more than that. The attacks would not have happened without you.”
He later continued with:
“I reject the portrait of you as a passive participant. You told the US Probation Department you were brainwashed by the gang. That might be partially true. But the relationship was symbiotic. They got something out of it. But so did you.”
The rapper had entered a guilty plea with prosecutors in February, prior to his lengthy testimony. He has also rejected witness protection, which was inspired by his desire to continue his rap career. According to press reports, the rapper has signed a $10 million record deal with his own label 10K projects.
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