On Wednesday (Jan. 30) three associates of 6ix9ine were indicted on criminal charges related to the controversial 22-year-old rapper. One of the suspects, Anthony Ellison, was charged with the kidnapping of 6ix9ine. The Southern District of New York's Department of Justice has released a statement confirming the three associates have been charged with racketeering and firearms offenses, the same charges 6ix9ine was arrested on back in Nov. 2018.
Denard Butler was arrested yesterday (Jan. 31), while Kintea Mckenzie is reportedly still at large. Ellison was already in custody on kidnapping charges. Throughout 6ix9ine's racketeering case, additional people have been indicted. Kifano Jordan, otherwise known as Shotti or Tr3yway, has also been hit with additional charges relating to racketeering and firearms charges. Dawn Florio, 6ix9ine's lawyer, declined to comment.
The news of the charges against the associates arrived shortly before news that 6ix9ine pleaded guilty to nine counts. Among the counts are multiple racketeering charges, conspiracy, and weapons-related offenses. The plea was initially entered on Jan. 23. One of the charges acknowledges that he aided an attempted Chief keef shooting last June. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2020. 6ix9ine wasn't mentioned in the announcement that three of his associates were charged with racketeering and firearms offenses, and it has since been confirmed that the rapper will cooperate with federal government officials going forward.
On Monday (Jan. 28), it was reported that 6ix9ine and his legal team decided to postpone his bail hearing, in which he was rumored to be planning to present a $1.5 million bail package. Due to a suspected conflict of interest, the rapper had to drop his then-lawyer.
"The lawyers for two of the defendants raised issues of conflict of interest that Lance Lazzaro had represented two other co-defendants in the case and the judge removed him from the case until the conflicts could be waived by Mr. Hernandez and also by [6ix9ine's co-defendants'] respective clients," Florio said in a statement to XXL regarding the change of lawyers.
