Tekashi 6ix9ine’s cooperation with the feds was “both incredibly significant and extremely useful†in their racketeering case against his former Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods associates, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday in their formal recommendation for a reduced sentence for the polarizing 23-year-old rapper.
“The defendant provided an insider’s view of Nine Trey and a first-hand account of many acts of violence that [prosecutors] otherwise did not have,†prosecutors said of the “FEFE†performer born Daniel Hernandez.
“He is a famous rap artist and was a high-profile member of a violent gang. In the face of threats made against him and his family, Hernandez decided to cooperate against his co-defendants and testify in a trial that was widely publicized,†they said.
Prosecutors’ letter about Hernandez’s helpfulness stems from the plea deal he brokered earlier this year.
Hernandez, who copped to nine federal counts in January following his racketeering arrest several months prior, cooperated under this deal, hoping to land a more lenient sentence by cooperating. Hernandez, who is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, presently faces a sentence of 47 years to life in prison.
Under Hernandez’s plea agreement, prosecutors said they would ask for a sentence “below any mandatory minimum†if he “successfully†cooperated.
In their letter, prosecutors said they intend on requesting a lower-than-minimum sentence because of his helpfulness, assuming that he “continues to comply with the terms of his cooperation agreement.â€
Their recommendation for a lesser sentence isn’t binding, however — meaning the judge will ultimately decide Hernadnez’s fate.
In September, Hernandez testified against two former associates, purported Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods members Anthony “Harv†Ellison and Aljermiah “Nuke†Mack, during a racketeering trial, dropping so many dimes that #Tekashisnitch9 became a hashtag.
He snitched on pretty much everyone from street-level gangsters to top performers, with the biggest bombshell being his statements that Cardi B was in the Bloods and that Jim Jones was in Nine Trey.
While on the stand, Hernandez claimed that rapper Trippie Redd was part of Five Nine Brims, another Bloods sect. He also said that Chief Keef was with the Black Disciples and that Brooklnn rapper Casanova was in “another†Bloods offshoot.
Meanwhile, he provided extensive detail when it came to attacks on Trippie Redd and Chief Keef. And when prosecutors played excerpts from the “GUMMO†and “KOODA†music videos, Hernandez pointed out alleged gang members who participated in the vids.
Ellison was convicted of kidnapping Hernandez, and Mack was convicted of distributing drugs; both were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy. Both men face a maximum life sentence in federal prison.
Prosecutors also cited the dangers faced by Hernandez in their letter.
“The defendant’s cooperation has come at great risk to his and his family’s safety, in ways far more significant than in other cases. Nine Trey is one of the most violent sets of the United Bloods Nation, claiming members throughout the country,†they wrote. “Prior to his cooperation becoming public, the defendant relocated his family. The defendant was moved to a different prison facility and has been placed in a particular unit without any other gang members.â€
Hernandez’s movements, they continued, “have been limited so as to avoid potential contact with other gang members. In addition, extra precautions were taken to transport him to and from court during his testimony.â€
“Other gang members and those in the rap industry have criticized him for cooperating and have openly questioned whether the defendant’s safety could ever be guaranteed,†they said. “There is no question that the defendant’s life will never be the same because of his cooperation in this case.â€
Hernandez and his family will have to follow “extra safety precautions†in public to avoid retaliation, they also wrote.
Hernandez’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.