Tekashi 6ix9ine pleads guilty to probation violation after gym assault; sentencing set for November
Rapper admits to punching a man who taunted him for cooperating with authorities, as part of a slate of probation violations.
Daniel Hernandez, the rapper known as Tekashi 6ix9ine, pleaded guilty Thursday in Manhattan federal court to violating the terms of his supervised release by punching a man at an Aug. 8 encounter in a Florida gym who taunted him for testifying against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in 2019. The admission comes as he awaits sentencing on two separate guilty pleas tied to probation violations, with a Nov. 4 sentencing date already scheduled.
Prosecutors say the incident unfolded inside an LA Fitness in Florida, where Hernandez and another individual assaulted a man who allegedly mocked him for cooperating with federal authorities in the 2019 racketeering case against the Nine Trey gang. During the roughly 45-minute hearing, Hernandez spoke only briefly at times, telling Judge Paul Engelmayer that “Me and another individual hit a person and it was wrong.” The judge did not immediately impose a sentence and maintained the possibility of additional penalties if Hernandez violates the terms of release again.
The court chronology surrounding Hernandez’s legal exposure is lengthy and intertwined with his prior cooperation with authorities. In addition to the Aug. 8 Florida gym incident, Hernandez has already admitted to other probation violations, including stashing MDMA and cocaine at his Florida mansion. As part of the July plea, prosecutors agreed to drop other probation violations tied to gun and drug crimes and required Hernandez to complete 300 hours of community service before sentencing. Prosecutors have warned that any future violation could carry a prison term of up to five years, underscoring the court’s willingness to police the terms of his supervised release rigidly given his high-profile cooperation in 2019 against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
The two-year sentence Hernandez received in 2019 followed his cooperation with federal investigators that helped secure charges against members of the Nine Trey gang. He was released from a shorter sentence in 2020 after the COVID-19 outbreak, with the pandemic providing his lawyers leverage to advocate for leniency. Prior to that, Hernandez had already spent time in custody for probation violations and, in November, was sentenced to 45 days in jail for failing drug tests and traveling without permission. The court has repeatedly highlighted the consequences of Hernandez’s criminal conduct, stressing that any further violations could lead to a much stiffer penalty.
Hernandez, who has lived much of his life in the public eye under a torrent of legal scrutiny, testified against members of his former gang in 2019 in exchange for a favorable plea deal. The episode has followed him through a series of probation violations, a 2023 assault incident at a Florida gym that drew significant media attention, and a continuing legal saga that now centers on how the court will handle multiple overlapping cases. The sentencing hearing on November 4 will determine how these violations intersect with the July MDMA-and-cocaine stash plea and the adjacent gun and drug charges that prosecutors had previously flagged.
The case continues to unfold against a backdrop of Hernandez’s public persona shifting from one-time rival-turned-trequent headline-maker to a figure whose legal fate could hinge on the outcome of his probation compliance and the court’s assessment of the risk of further violations. As prosecutors press for a measured yet firm sentencing, Hernandez’s counsel has emphasized the steps the artist has taken to reform and contribute to the community, including the 300 hours of service mandated in connection with the July plea. The court has indicated it would consider these efforts, but it remains clear that any new misstep could carry significant consequences for a performer who has spent years balancing celebrity with criminal accountability.