It's a Double Whammy in Court for Tekashi 6ix9ine

It was a double whammy for Tekashi 6ix9ine in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday: The rapper was sentenced to two years on racketeering and other charges—a sentence that was announced in the presence of the estranged father the 23-year-old hadn't seen since he was 9. "Is this a f–king joke, [with] everything that I go through?" the New York Post quotes Tekashi as saying after seeing Daniel Hernandez in court. His father asked the judge if he could speak on his son's behalf. Judge Paul Engelmayer's reply was curt: "It’s way too late to show up and speak on his behalf. You squandered that right many years ago." The AP reports Tekashi has been behind bars for 13 months already and will likely be released in late 2020.

Tekashi sidestepped what could have been 37 years in prison via a plea deal that put sentencing solely in the hands of Engelmayer, who took into account the rapper's "impressive ... game-changing ... complete and ... brave" cooperation against purported fellow Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods members. Rolling Stone reports Tekashi was arrested in 2018 along with those alleged gang members and hit with charges including gun possession, attempted murder, and gang activity. It was later revealed that he flipped the day after he was arrested, and he served as a major witness for the prosecution in Anthony Ellison's and Aljermiah Mack's trials; both were convicted. The idea of putting Tekashi in federal witness protection post-sentence has been floated. (More rapper stories.)