6ix9ine sentenced to 24 months in prison

6ix9ine has been sentenced to 24 months in prison after cooperating with prosecutors in their attempts to bring down the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. The verdict was announced by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York on Wednesday. 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, faced a maximum of 47 years in jail for his crimes.

Though prosecutors described Hernandez's continued testimony against former gang members as “extraordinary” and “extremely useful,” Judge Engelmayer said that 6ix9ine's crimes were "too violent" for the rapper to be released from custody immediately, according to the New York Times. Hernandez has already spent 13 months in federal custody — time that will count towards his sentence.

Hernandez was on trial for racketeering and firearms charges after being arrested in November 2018 alongside a number of his fellow Nine Trey Bloods members. He ended up pleading guilty in January after striking a cooperation deal with prosecutors intended to get him a lighter sentence.

2019 has seen a number of 6ix9ine's former associates sentenced to prison. Anthony "Harv" Ellison and Aljermiah "Nuke" Mack were found guilty of racketeering and weapons charges after high-profile testimony from 6ix9ine; Roland "Ro Murda" Martin pled guilty to racketeering and had his 90 month sentence reduced to 60 months after he was attacked in prison, and Jamel "Mel Murda" Jones recieved 11 years after being found guilty of racketeering and narcotics distribution. Finally, Aaron “Bat” Young was reportedly sentenced to 20 years earlier this month after pleading guilty to racketeering charges.

6ix9ine reportedly turned down witness protection in order to pursue his music career. TMZ reported in October that he signed a record deal with his former label, 10K Projects, worth a reported $10 million for two albums.