Up-and-coming rapper and social media star Tekashi69, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was indicted in November 2018 on charges of racketeering, weapons, conspiracy and narcotics trafficking charges.
In early 2019, he pleaded guilty to nine counts and took a plea deal as he was facing a minimum of 47 years for his laundry list of crimes. The details of the plea deal eventually went public, which were reported by TMZ.
According to the outlet, the rapper was involved in dealing heroin, fentanyl, ecstasy, amphetamines and marijuana. His crimes of conspiracy allegedly consisted of multiple acts of murder, robbery and extortion.
TMZ also reported that the rapper cooperated with the FBI, testifying and before the Grand Jury. The U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York agreed “not to prosecute [69] for the crimes set forth in Counts One through Nine.” Additionally, prosecutors agreed not to prosecute the rapper for crimes he disclosed to prosecutors but had not yet been charged.
The plea deal also says, “It is understood that the defendant’s cooperation is likely to reveal the activities of individuals and that witness protection may be required at a later date.”
The plea deal also outlined that Hernandez will greatly reduce the rapper’s prison time, “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.”
During his plea sentencing in January 2019, Hernandez detailed joining the gang the Nine Trey Bloods in the fall of 2017. He admitted that on March 20, 2018 he helped members of the gang attempt to kill a rival to “increase my own standing in Nine Trey.” On April 3, 2018, he said that he, and other members, robbed a rival at gunpoint.
He also said: “I paid a person to shoot at a rival member of Nine Trey to scare him. The shooting took place in Manhattan. I did this to maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey.” Additionally, Hernandez disclosed that he’d sold a kilo of heroin in 2017.
During the hearing, he said, “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.”
But this is not the first time he’s had a brush with the law. On Oct. 20, 2015, Tekashi69, pleaded guilty to a felony count of the use of a child in a sexual performance. He was sentenced to four years probation and 1000 hours of community service.
A person is guilty of the use of a child in a sexual performance if knowing the character and content thereof he employs, authorizes or induces a child less than seventeen years of age to engage in a sexual performance or being a parent, legal guardian or custodian of such child, he consents to the participation by such child in a sexual performance.
The rapper later went later told his account of the story, which was that he and friends had a sexual encounter with a 13-year-old girl, filmed it and put it on social media.
