Tekashi 6ix9ine, an apologetic rapper whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was sentenced Tuesday to 45 days in prison by a federal judge. The judge remarked that the rapper’s repeated violations of his probation, despite his previous cooperation in a high-profile criminal case against a violent gang, demonstrated a clear lack of respect for the judicial system.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who initially sentenced Hernandez to two years in prison five years ago—a term significantly reduced due to Hernandez’s testimony against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods—ordered the additional jail time. Engelmayer underscored that Hernandez’s five probation violations, which included failing to show up for drug tests, unauthorized travel to Las Vegas, and lying to his probation officer, conveyed a blatant disregard for the rules.
The judge questioned whether the 28-year-old rapper believed he was above the law due to his fame and wealth. Engelmayer emphasized, “The same rules do apply to you.”
Before his sentence was announced, Hernandez expressed remorse, requesting leniency from the court. He admitted his failings, stating, “I’m very sorry. I’m not minimizing my actions. I fully take responsibility. I let myself down. I let my family down. Give me an opportunity to clean things up.” He insisted that he did not intentionally seek to break the law and did not wish to be perceived as ill-mannered or a bad person.
Following the completion of his jail term, Hernandez will face a month of home incarceration, a month of home detention, and a month of curfews. His probation period has been extended by one year, during which he will be prohibited from international travel and subject to electronic monitoring.
In April 2020, Hernandez was granted compassionate release from prison due to his asthma, which made him vulnerable to the coronavirus that was proliferating in jails and prisons nationwide. He had been arrested again on October 29 and spent the subsequent two weeks in solitary confinement, a condition Engelmayer cited as a reason for not imposing a longer, three-month jail term.
Hernandez’s 2018 arrest involved charges of joining the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods and inciting violence against his perceived adversaries. While Engelmayer acknowledged that the parole violations were not “gravely serious,” he described them as “profound” breaches of the court’s trust. The judge also recounted instances where Hernandez had “repeatedly flown very close to the flame,” such as arrests in the Dominican Republic and a speeding violation where he allegedly drove at 136 mph in a 65 mph zone.
“Your repeated brushes with the law underscore the need to get this message across to you,” Engelmayer concluded.
