Tekashi 6ix9ine is once again in federal custody. Per the Associated Press, a Manhattan judge ordered the rapper (real name Daniel Hernandez) to be detained in New York for at least two weeks starting on Tuesday. Why was he arrested? Allegedly, he violated the terms of his probation. As you might recall from all those snitching memes in 2019, Hernandez previously pleaded guilty in a federal racketeering case and got his prison time reduced to two years after testifying against his former gang. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release, which meant that he needed to stay out of trouble in order to remain free. But according to ABC7, authorities claim that Hernandez took an unauthorized trip to Las Vegas in September, skipped drug tests, and tested positive for methamphetamine. He was an hour late to a court hearing on Tuesday morning, and judge Paul A. Engelmayer signed an arrest warrant when he didn’t show.
After Hernandez arrived and learned that he would be returning to prison, he apologized for his tardiness and explained that he had flown in from Florida the night before and woken up late. He suggested that he thought he had permission to travel to Vegas, where he performed a show. As for the drug tests, he said he skipped two appointments because he thought they weren’t required, characterizing the situation as “just a misunderstanding.” The rapper also claimed that his positive meth result was because of prescription drugs that had traces of the substance.
Hernandez reportedly acknowledged in court that he’s done a few “technically” wrong things, but insisted that he’s otherwise been “squeaky clean.” Noting that the “past four years has been bad, bro,” he told the judge, “Freedom is everything for me.” Hernandez’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, said in a statement to NBC News that his client was ultimately charged with three technical violations related to his supervised release. “We are confident that each specification will be dismissed,” Lazzaro said. For now, Hernandez is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His next hearing is scheduled for November 12.
Related
