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In a continuing cycle of legal setbacks, Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, born Daniel Hernandez, has been ordered to undergo extensive drug and mental health treatment following his upcoming return to federal prison. On December 5, 2025, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer sentenced the 29-year-old artist to three months in custody for repeatedly violating the terms of his supervised release, violations that included drug possession and physical assault.
The court’s decision follows a series of infractions that have frustrated the federal judiciary. The most recent violations stem from a police raid on Hernandez’s Miami residence in March 2025, where authorities recovered small quantities of cocaine and MDMA. Additionally, Hernandez admitted to an August 2024 incident at a Florida shopping mall where he punched a man who had taunted him regarding his high-profile cooperation with federal prosecutors against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
Upon his release from the three-month prison term, which he is scheduled to begin on January 6, 2026, Hernandez must serve an additional 12 months of supervised release. Judge Engelmayer mandated that this period include a comprehensive mental health program specifically centered on anger management, alongside an outpatient drug treatment program. These conditions are designed to address the underlying behavioral and substance abuse issues that have led to his multiple probation breaches over the past two years.
During the hearing, Hernandez expressed remorse and petitioned for home confinement, citing his unique safety concerns as a “cooperating witness.” His legal team argued that his status requires strict isolation within the prison system, which can be psychologically taxing. However, Judge Engelmayer denied the request, emphasizing the need for accountability after the rapper’s second major violation in just over a year. Hernandez previously served 45 days in late 2024 for failing drug tests and traveling without authorization.
While facing his impending incarceration, Hernandez has remained characteristically vocal on social media. He recently told news outlets that he plans to use his time in isolation to undergo a physical transformation, claiming he hopes to lose significant weight through a strict and unconventional diet. Despite his optimistic public persona, the court-mandated treatment signals that federal authorities are prioritizing rehabilitation and psychological oversight as a final attempt to stabilize the rapper’s tumultuous post-prison life.