A former associate of rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been ordered to return to a New York prison after violating social-distancing regulations by partying during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kintea McKenzie, known as Kooda B, was being held in custody in relation to a 2018 shooting incident, aimed at taking out Tekashi’s rival rapper Chief Keef in Times Square.
McKenzie was released from the city’s Metropolitan Correctional Center in April amid concerns he would be at a higher risk of the coronavirus behind bars as he is asthmatic.
However, McKenzie was caught on camera hosting a party with a group of pals at his Brooklyn apartment shortly after regaining his freedom, and now the celebration has landed him back in prison.
During a federal court hearing on Monday, Judge Paul Engelmayer slammed McKenzie for the “astonishing stunt” insisting he put himself at greater risk of COVID-19 exposure at the bash than he would ever have encountered locked up.
“Mr. McKenzie in my mind has squandered the right to claim concern of catching COVID… his conduct puts the lie to that,” Judge Engelmayer said.
McKenzie must now surrender to U.S. Marshals at the Manhattan courthouse on October 15 and remain behind bars until his sentencing in November.
He faces around four or five years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering as part of a 2019 deal with prosecutors.
