Anthony "Harv" Ellison, a former Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods member who was convicted last year of the kidnapping of rapper-turned-snitch, Tekashi 6ix9ine, has been denied a new trial.

Ellison claimed that the ordeal was set-up to ensure that Tekashi's single, "Fefe," gained more attention, but the judge was not biting.

"The evidence of Ellison's commission of this crime was overwhelming," Judge Paul Engelmayer. "Ellison's theory that he had colluded with Hernandez to stage a fake kidnapping was unsupported by any evidence at trial. And Ellison, who was in a position to attest as to his circumstances surrounding that incident—including, if true, that it was a staged, and not actual, kidnapping—elected not to testify."

Ellison's co-defendant Aljermiah "Nuke" Mack also requested a new trial but was also denied by Engelmayer. Mack is scheduled to be sentenced next month, while Ellison will be sentenced in March.

Tekashi 6ix9ine will likely be released before the end of 2020 after being sentenced last month to 24 months in prison.