Tekashi 6ix9ine Plea Deal Reveals New Details About Reduced Sentence, Witness Protection

It appears that Tekashi 6ix9ine won't be heading to prison for quite as long as he thought, according to details of a plea deal he made with the U.S. Attorney in Southern District of New York.

After facing a minimum of 47 years and a maximum of a life sentence in prison after pleading guilty to charges like racketeering, conspiracy, firearms offenses and narcotics trafficking, the rapper reportedly cooperated with federal investigators and testified before a Grand Jury. The U.S. Attorney agreed "not to prosecute for the crimes set forth in Counts One through Nine," TMZ reports, which means that various charges are off limits. Prosecutors also reportedly agreed not to go over Tekashi 6ix9ine for crimes he told prosecutors about but has not yet been charged.

In addition to facing less time behind bars, the 22-year-old rapper reportedly may also receive witness protection services due to the implication of criminals accused of violent crimes in his testimony.

"It is understood that the defendant's cooperation is likely to reveal the activities of individuals and that witness protection may be required at a later date," the plea deal states, according to TMZ.

The news outlet reports that prosecutors say if the "KIKA" singer continues to cooperate, he could get a lighter sentence than initially thought. "Should the defendant successfully cooperate, the government agrees that it will file at the time of sentencing a motion...for a sentence below any mandatory minimum," prosecutors said.

Ultimately, a sentencing decision will be up to a judge. It's unclear how much time prosecutors will ask for.

Tekashi 6ix9ine pleaded guilty to nine federal charges at the end of January, agreeing to cooperate with officials. The rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, is facing: one charge of racketeering conspiracy; three counts of violent crime in aid of racketeering; one count of firearms offense - racketeering conspiracy; three counts of firearms offense; and one count of narcotics trafficking.

He allegedly took part in a July 2018 shooting of a bystander in Brooklyn and a robbery of the gang Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods' rivals. Court documents describe the gang as "a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in, among, other activities, acts involving murder, robbery, and narcotics trafficking" and its members operated in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn.

6ix9ine was scheduled to go to trial in September, but he avoided a trial by pleading guilty to all nine charges.

6ix9ine had success with his first studio album, Dummy Boy, which was released in November. The album was released to negative reviews, but debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.