Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine Pleads Guilty to 9 Felonies and Admits He's a Gang Member: Reports
Tekashi 6ix9ine plead guilty to nine felony charges, including a variety of firearm offenses, and admitted to being a member of a gang, according to recently unsealed documents reviewed by multiple outlets.
The 22-year-old rapper (né Daniel Hernandez), took a plea deal on Jan. 23 regarding his involvement with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, according to Page Six. The outlet reported that the plea agreement was initially sealed to enable prosecutors to arrest additional members of the New York City gang.
As part of his plea, Tekashi — known for his album Day69: Graduation Day and hit “Fefe” with Nicki Minaj — admitted to joining the gang in the fall 2017, and hiring a fellow gang member to “shoot at” rap rival Chief Keef in June 2018, in order to “maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey,” according to documents cited by TMZ.
He went on to admit to robbing a rival at gunpoint with other gang members in April 2018, to helping attempt to kill another rival in March 2018, and to selling a kilo of heroin in 2017, the New York Post‘s Page Six reported.
“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,” he told the court judge, according to a court transcript obtained by Page Six.
The outlet reported that Tekashi pled guilty to further federal felonies including racketeering conspiracy, firearms charges, narcotics trafficking, and violent crimes in aid of racketeering. He was previously indicted for six felony charges in November 2018.
His charges carry a minimum sentence of 47 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to The New York Times. However, TMZ noted that because Tekashi is cooperating with authorities he will likely receive a more lenient sentence.
The rapper’s attorney, Dawn Florio, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
On Thursday, the day before Tekashi’s court records were unsealed, three additional men were implicated in the attempted shooting of Chief Keef, according to Page Six. The case is scheduled to go to court in September.
Tekashi is currently set to be sentenced in January 2020, the outlet reported.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office has labeled the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods “a violent New York City gang.”
“Nine Trey was a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn,” they said in a previous statement. “Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang’s narcotics business. Members and associates of Nine Trey enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana.”
Tekashi was previously sentenced to four years probation and 1,000 hours of community service in October 2018 for a prior arrest over his alleged involvement in a child sex case.
