Preet
Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New
York, Madeline Singas, the Nassau County District Attorney, Diego
Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), William J. Bratton, the
Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Thomas
C. Krumpter, the Acting Commissioner of the Nassau County Police
Department (“NCPD”), announced the unsealing today of a superseding
Indictment charging a total of 18 individuals arising out of a
multi-year investigation of racketeering activities by members and
associates of the Genovese Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra.
The Indictment charges four members and associates of the Genovese
Family – namely, Genovese Family soldiers ROBERT DEBELLO and STEVEN
PASTORE and Genovese Family associates RYAN ELLIS and SALVATORE
DELLIGATTI – with racketeering conspiracy, and various of these
defendants with involvement in a murder conspiracy, an attempted murder,
an extortion conspiracy, and an illegal gambling operation relating to
their participation in the criminal affairs of the Genovese Family, and
with firearms offenses. The Indictment also charges a number of the
remaining 14 defendants with involvement (along with DELLIGATTI) in a
murder-for-hire conspiracy, participation in the illegal gambling
operation, and firearms offenses. The case, captioned
United States v.
Robert DeBello,
et al., is pending before United States District Judge Laura T. Swain of the Southern District of New York.
Of the 18 defendants charged in the Indictment, 17 are currently in
custody, including 13 defendants who were arrested earlier today as part
of a coordinated takedown by the FBI, NYPD, and NCPD. The 17
defendants in custody will be presented today before United States
Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis of the Southern District of New York.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Today’s charges show
that the mob continues to wreak havoc in our communities, including
through a recent murder conspiracy, attempted murder, and extortion.
With today’s charges, we strike an important blow against the Genovese
Crime Family. Whether you are an old school made member of the mob or a
young street criminal looking to join it, the message today is clear:
the life of a mobster is a dead-end street that ends nowhere good. I
thank our law enforcement partners at the NYPD, FBI and Nassau County
Police Commissioner, as well as, in particular, the Nassau County
District Attorney’s Office, for the incredible work in this important
case.”
Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said: “Today’s
arrests send a strong message that we are disrupting organized crime in
New York. Working with our federal and local partners we are focused on
breaking up criminal organizations that try to operate outside of the
law. The allegations against some of the defendants – including
conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering and gambling – are very
serious, and we will continue our joint efforts to dismantle these
violent criminal enterprises.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “The crimes
of extortion for so-called ‘protection,’ illegal gambling businesses,
and conspiracy to commit murder are woven into the history of organized
crime families, but so are the federal racketeering charges that wise
guys face after committing those criminal activities. Today, 18
defendants were indicted as part of a multi-year investigation by the
FBI and our partners at Nassau County Police Department and New York
City Police Department. As long as organized crime members and
associates keep their criminal ways, we will keep investigating and
bringing charges against them.”
NYPD Commissioner Bratton William J. Bratton said: “This racket was
as old as La Cosa Nostra. From murder for hire to extortion and
gambling, there wasn’t a scheme that was off limits to these soldiers
and associates of the Genovese family. The mob may be diminished, but
it’s not dead, and it requires our continued vigilance. I commend of
the FBI, Nassau County Police, U.S. Attorney, and team of NYPD
detectives who made today’s arrests possible.”
Acting NCPD Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter said: “The indictment of
these members of the Genovese Crime Family is an example of how
partners in law enforcement utilize talented personnel and resources to
work together and bring individuals to justice. The Nassau County
Police Department is committed to working with our fellow law
enforcement partners to ensure public safety.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
[1]
Four of the defendants – ROBERT DEBELLO, STEVEN PASTORE, RYAN ELLIS,
and SALVATORE DELLIGATTI – are members or associates of the Genovese
Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra. The Genovese Family is a
criminal organization whose members have engaged in numerous acts of
violence and other crimes in the Southern District of New York and
elsewhere, including, as relevant in this case, conspiracy to commit
murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit extortion, and the
operation of an illegal gambling business. DEBELLO and PASTORE were
“made” soldiers of the Genovese Family, and ELLIS and DELLIGATTI were
associates of the Genovese Family. In his capacity as a Genovese Family
soldier, DEBELLO reported directly to a Genovese Family captain, often
at a social club in lower Manhattan within the Southern District of New
York. From at least in or about 2008 through in or about May 2016,
DEBELLO, PASTORE, ELLIS, and DELLIGATTI conspired to participate in the
criminal affairs of the Genovese Family through a pattern of
racketeering activity. For example, in connection with their
involvement in the racketeering activity of the Genovese Family, DEBELLO
as well as ELLIS and DELLIGATTI participated in a 2014 conspiracy to
commit a murder, in an attempted murder, in a conspiracy to commit
extortion, and in the operation of an illegal gambling business (the
“Illegal Gambling Business”), and committed firearms offenses. PASTORE
was also involved in the operation of the Illegal Gambling Business.
Five of the defendants – LUIGI ROMANO, BERTRAM DUKE, TYRONE MCCULLUM,
MARCUS GRANT, and SHARIF BROWN – participated in a conspiracy along
with Genovese Family associate SALVATORE DELLIGATTI to commit a murder
for hire, and committed a related firearms offense.
The nine remaining defendants – LUIGI CAMINITI, SCOTT JACOBSON, FRANK
CELSO, JOSEPH TEDESCO, MICHAEL VIGORITO, MICK SOKOL, SPYRO
ANTONAKOPOULOS, MICHAEL KARNBACK, and JONATHAN DESIMONE – were involved
in the operation of the Illegal Gambling Business.
* * *
Set forth below is a chart containing the names, ages, residences,
charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants. The maximum
potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are
provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the
defendants will be determined by Judge Swain.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI,
the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, Criminal Enterprise Investigations, and the
NCPD. He also thanked the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for
their participation and support in this ongoing investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized
Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Samson Enzer, James
McDonald, and Jordan Estes, as well as Special Assistant United States
Attorney Jeremy Glicksman, are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and
the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven
guilty.
16-122 ###
United States v. Robert DeBello, et al., S4 15 Cr. 491 (LTS)
| COUNT |
CHARGE |
DEFENDANTS |
MAX. PENALTIES |
| 1 |
Racketeering conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) |
ROBERT DEBELLO
STEVEN PASTORE
RYAN ELLIS
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI |
20 years in prison |
| 2 |
Conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering activity
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) |
ROBERT DEBELLO
RYAN ELLIS
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI |
10 years in prison |
| 3 |
Attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) |
ROBERT DEBELLO
RYAN ELLIS
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI |
10 years in prison |
| 4 |
Conspiracy to commit murder for hire
18 U.S.C. § 1958 |
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI
LUIGI ROMANO
BERTRAM DUKE
TYRONE MCCULLUM
MARCUS GRANT
SHARIF BROWN
|
10 years in prison |
| 5 |
Participating in an illegal gambling business
18 U.S.C. §§ 1955 and 2 |
ROBERT DEBELLO
STEVEN PASTORE
RYAN ELLIS
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI
LUIGI CAMINITI
SCOTT JACOBSON
FRANK CELSO
JOSEPH TEDESCO
MICHAEL VIGORITO
MICK SOKOL
SPYRO ANTONAKOPOULOS MICHAEL KARNBACK
JONATHAN DESIMONE |
5 years in prison |
| 6 |
Use of Firearms for Crimes of Violence
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2 |
ROBERT DEBELLO
RYAN ELLIS
|
Life in prison |
| 7 |
Use of Firearms for Crimes of Violence
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2 |
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI |
Life in prison
|
| 8 |
Use of a Firearm for Murder-for-Hire Conspiracy
|
LUIGI ROMANO
BERTRAM DUKE
TYRONE MCCULLUM
MARCUS GRANT
SHARIF BROWN |
Life in prison
|
| DEFENDANT |
AGE |
RESIDENCE |
ROBERT DEBELLO
a/k/a “Old Man”
a/k/a “Bobby”
a/k/a “Grandpa” |
74 |
Whitestone, Queens, NY |
| STEVEN PASTORE |
56 |
Staten Island, NY |
RYAN ELLIS
a/k/a “Joseph Princi”
a/k/a “Baldy”
a/k/a “Lazy Eye”
a/k/a “Zeus” |
34 |
Bayside, Queens, NY |
SALVATORE DELLIGATTI
a/k/a “Jay”
a/k/a “Fat Sal” |
40 |
Oakland Gardens, Queens, NY |
LUIGI ROMANO
a/k/a “Louie Sunoco” |
38 |
Whitestone, Queens, NY |
BERTRAM DUKE
a/k/a “Birdy”
|
48 |
New York, NY |
TRYONE MCCULLUM
a/k/a “Ty” |
37 |
Bronx, NY |
| MARCUS GRANT |
27 |
Bronx, NY |
SHARIF BROWN
a/k/a “QB” |
31 |
Bronx, NY |
| LUIGI CAMINITI |
35 |
Whitestone, Queens, NY |
| SCOTT JACOBSON |
31 |
Old Beth Page, Long Island, NY |
| FRANK CELSO |
50 |
West Hempstead, Long Island, NY |
| JOSEPH TEDESCO |
44 |
Brooklyn, NY |
| MICHAEL VIGORITO |
35 |
Massapequa, Long Island, NY |
| MICK SOKOL |
41 |
Brooklyn, NY |
| SPYRO ANTONAKOPOULOS |
31 |
Elmont, Long Island, NY |
MICHAEL KARNBACH
a/k/a “Combat” |
43 |
Brooklyn, NY |
| JONATHAN DESIMONE |
34 |
Huntington, Long Island, NY |
[1]
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the
Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described in the
Indictment should be treated as an allegation.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/genovese-organized-crime-family-members-and-associates-charged-manhattan-federal-court
