NEW YORK (AP) — On Tuesday, rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, faced a federal judge in Manhattan as he attempted to avoid jail time. He referred to the judge as “bro” and emphasized that he never intended to violate the terms of his probation following a felony conviction.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer expressed his disapproval and ordered Tekashi to be detained for at least two weeks. The judge cited several instances of alleged misconduct, including failing drug tests and traveling without permission, suggesting these actions indicated a lack of respect for the law. In recent months, Tekashi left the Dominican Republic, where he had been ordered to stay following his arrest in January for domestic violence charges and a more recent detention in October 2023 related to an assault allegation involving a local music producer. His defense team claims he is facing an unfair situation in a corrupt judicial system.
In 2019, Judge Engelmayer sentenced Tekashi 6ix9ine to two years in prison for a racketeering case after he pleaded guilty to charges involving his participation in the violent gang known as the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. Originally, he was granted a compassionate release in April 2020 due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the court proceedings, Tekashi arrived late, prompting the judge to issue an arrest warrant. He was subsequently taken into custody after being accused of continually violating his probation, which prosecutors characterized as a “pattern of noncompliance.” Engelmayer was firm with him as he stood before the court.
However, the tension eased somewhat when Tekashi directly addressed the judge, apologizing for his tardiness. He contended that he is not a “bad person” and stressed that he had successfully completed four and a half years of a five-year supervised release. He noted he experienced challenges after his probation supervision transitioned from New York court officers to those in the Southern District of Florida, where he currently resides.
Tekashi disputed allegations made by prosecutors that he neglected to request travel permission for a September performance in Las Vegas in front of a large audience of 20,000 people. He also mentioned that he missed two drug tests, believing they were not necessary after an earlier positive marijuana test was later deemed incorrect. “I feel like I did nothing wrong,” he stated, although he conceded he had made a few “technically” wrong choices. “I’ve been squeaky clean,” he insisted, detailing the difficulties he faced in recent years and emphasizing that “freedom is everything” to him.
In a more standard exchange with the judge, Tekashi described missing drug tests as merely a “misunderstanding” and maintained that he has never used drugs. He attributed a recent drug test that indicated methamphetamine detection to prescription medications he was taking, which he claims contained trace amounts of the substance. At one point during the proceedings, he hesitated before clarifying, “I’m not a bad person.”
Judge Engelmayer acknowledged that there might be reasons behind some of Tekashi’s actions but sensed he had been “cutting corners” throughout his probation. Following the hearing, Tekashi’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, asserted via email that his client faced three “technical violations” of his supervised release and expressed confidence that these allegations would ultimately be dismissed. Tekashi’s next court date is set for November 12.
