Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine appears on the verge of receiving a prison sentence that is significantly less than the minimum term he would have received after pleading guilty to a litany of crimes, though he may need witness protection.
The singer signed a plea deal with federal prosecutors in Manhattan whereby he admitted to various crimes, including racketeering, conspiracy, weapons possession, drug trafficking, and others.
Tekashi admitted to authorities that he joined a violent New York City gang and helped others try to kill a rival gang member.
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is seen above in Los Angeles on November 8, 2018
The rapper reportedly struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors in New York that will likely lead to a dramatically reduced prison sentence. He is seen above during his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court in July 2018
During the plea, 6ix9ine said he joined the Nine Trey Blood Gang in fall 2017 and helped gang members try to kill a rival last March.
He also admitted involvement in the shooting of rival rapper Chief Keef last June, the transcript reveals.
The plea agreement was entered last month by the 22-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Daniel Hernandez.
Before agreeing to a plea deal, Tekashi was indicted on a slew of charges that would have sent him to prison for a minimum of 47 years.
As part of his cooperation with the government, Tekashi 6ix9ine testified before a grand jury, TMZ reported.
The rapper’s cooperation comes in exchange for the feds agreeing ‘not to prosecute [him] for the crimes set forth in Counts One through Nine,’ the plea agreement reads.
Prosecutors have also agreed not to pursue charges against Tekashi for crimes he has already told the authorities about but for which he has yet to be charged.
The rapper, who legal name is Daniel Hernandez (left), admitted involvement in June’s Chief Keef (right) shooting
Federal prosecutors say that the information Tekashi has given them may require that he be placed under witness protection since he is believed to have implicated individuals involved in extremely violent crimes.
So far, the rapper has been cooperative, and prosecutors say that the more assistance he provides, the greater the chance they will recommend a sentence well below the minimum.
‘Should the defendant successfully cooperate, the government agrees that it will file at the time of sentencing a motion … for a sentence below any mandatory minimum,’ according to the plea agreement.
The severity of the sentence Tekashi will receive will be up to a judge.
Known almost as much for his tattooed, rainbow-haired look as for his music, 6ix9ine was a social media phenomenon before becoming an ascendant name in hip-hop.
He has 15.5 million followers on Instagram. His album Day69: Graduation Day was among the top-sellers on iTunes following its February release.
6ix9ine had a multiplatinum hit song, ‘Fefe,’ with Nicki Minaj, which peaked at No. 3 on the pop charts, and ‘Stoopid,’ featuring the incarcerated rapper Bobby Shmurda.
But he also seemed intent on ruining his prospects for runaway, entertainment world success.
He publicly identified himself as a member of a street gang.
He pleaded guilty in Brooklyn to disorderly conduct in connection with a May traffic stop.
The 22-year-old (pictured in a Texas court August 22) faced a minimum of 47 years in prison for murder, robbery and extortion conspiracy
6ix9ine is being housed in a federal prison, though the location of the institution is undisclosed. He’s pictured last month during a visit from his girlfriend Jade
In 2015, he was sentenced to probation for appearing in a video in which a 13-year-old girl performed a sex act on another man.
During the plea, 6ix9ine said he joined the Nine Trey Blood Gang in fall 2017 and helped gang members try to kill a rival last March.
‘I did this to maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey,’ he told Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
He said he also ‘knew that another member of Nine Trey had a gun and discharged that gun.’
The rapper said he also helped other gang members rob people at gunpoint as part of a pledge by new gang members to commit at least two crimes.
Last June 2, he said, he ‘paid a person to shoot at a rival member of Nine Trey to scare him.’
That shooting, he added, occurred in Manhattan. 6ix9ine said he also was paid for participating in the sale of a kilogram of cocaine in 2017.
‘I apologize to the court, to anyone who was hurt, to my family, friends and fans for what I have done and who I have let down,’ 6ix9ine said.
With his deal with prosecutors, 6ix9ine can gain leniency at sentencing from an otherwise mandatory minimum 47 years in prison if he admits to all crimes and testifies truthfully.
Sentencing was set for Jan. 23, 2020.
Attorney Dawn Florio said 6ix9ine’s safety was a chief concern.
‘In the very beginning of the case when we found out that my client’s security was at risk because of threats by his co-defendants, we have done everything to protect himself and his family,’ she said, adding that those efforts continue.
6ix9ine is being housed in a federal prison, though the location of the institution is undisclosed.
‘He has to be separated from the people who threatened him,’ Florio said.
She said he is receiving mail from fans.
‘All his fans love him and Danny loves all his fans. He loves hearing from his fans,’ she said.
‘For security reasons, he’s not responding to them at this point.’
The music artist (pictured with daughter Saraiyah) could have his minimum of 47 years in prison reduced by cooperating with investigators