“Justice wants to make me a criminal. I will show them once again how wrong they were”, said Raphy Pina in his Instagram stories. Along with a photo hugging his little daughter, the producer of the biggest hits of the reggaeton myth Daddy Yankee surrendered yesterday to the justice of Puerto Rico, after being sentenced to 41 months in prison and 3 years of probation for ilegal possession of firearms.

The sentence was issued last December 2021 by the Federal Court of the Caribbean country, and it is not the first penalty faced by the producer, who is also a partner of the well-known singer Natti Natasha. In 2015 he already pleaded guilty to bank fraud, and was sentenced to two years of probation.

The owner of Pina Records will spend time behind bars, away from his four children. He will especially miss his little Vida Isabelle, who recently celebrated her first birthday. Before appearing in front of the judge, he acknowledged that “today I face the most difficult situation that a human being can face, losing my freedom. For many, I have a tarnished reputation. I ask you with great respect to allow me to return to my family, to my children that I love until I stop breathing”, he implored to the judge.

Since the payment of a bail was not accepted to avoid jail, his lawyers will have to work on judicial resources while Pina remains behind bars. In addition, a financial penalty of 150,000 dollars was imposed. According to local media, he met the final sentence together with his children and his wife, who wept intensely.

His defense requested to imprison him into a Florida jail so Pina could stay close to his family. In the final efforts to try to avoid conviction, they pointed out that the producer "has much to offer to Puerto Rico during these difficult times, both as a father, businessman and philanthropist." Under Puerto Rico law, a person who possesses firearms without a license can face up to five years in prison.

Given the enormous media expectation upon his arrival at the court, Pina reiterated that he is not prepared for what he must face. But he specified regarding his family that "we have to fight, and I am their strength and they have to see me strong". He made a plea of ​​faith, prayers and love for his family and friends.

His first support came from his good friend Daddy Yankee. In an Instagram post with a photo with his producer, he commented that “there are people who are free but live in jail, and there are people who are in jail but are free. It's all a matter of mindset. This is just a learning moment”.

Raphy Pina created his Pina Records label in 1996, and since then he has become one of the great references of urban genres. In addition to Daddy Yankee, he has produced albums by Nicky Jam, Héctor & Tito, Arcángel, Tony Dize or his wife Natti Natasha. His dozen productions have crowned him at the top of the music industry, but a conviction for illegally possessing weapons could be a fatal blow to his reputation. "I love you very much, thank you for your prayers," he expressed to his followers on social networks before voluntarily appearing in prison.