Feds say Gambinos set Mercedes on fire while trying to collect a debt

Feds say Gambinos set Mercedes on fire while trying to collect a debt

  November 18, 2018    Dapper_Don

---

Talk about your childish Gambinos.

Three men tied to the notorious “organized” crime family torched a car to intimidate a businessman, but botched the job when one member of the thick-headed trio caught fire and was captured on tape scurrying away, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Peter Tuccio, Jonathan Gurino and Gino Gabrielli chased down the businessman in Dec. 2015 after seeing him leave a Howard Beach smoke shop, eventually confronting him outside a pizza parlor, a newly unsealed indictment revealed.

Tuccio then allegedly asked the man about a Gambino capo he owed money to and made mention of his Mercedes.

Later that night, the man watched his car burn. But his home security camera also captured the blaze.

The footage revealed Gabrielli dousing the Mercedes with liquid, the car bursting into flames and Gabrielli sprinting from the scene with his leg aflame.

The pants-on-fire perp and Tuccio were later captured on surveillance video walking into Jamaica Hospital, according to prosecutors.

Gabrielli pleaded guilty to arson in August 2016. Tuccio and Gurino were indicted Friday.

“Organized crime families have long relied on extortion and threats of violence in exchange for so-called ‘protection,’” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney. “As alleged, the defendants set a man's car on fire to send a message, but now they are the ones feeling the heat.”

Friday’s indictment charges Tuccio and Gurino, both 25, with arson, arson conspiracy, extortion, extortion conspiracy and using fire to commit a felony.

The far-from-dynamic duo were both released on $700,000 bond and placed under house arrest with their parents agreeing to put their houses on the line for their release.

(L to R) Joseph Merlino, Peter Tuccio walk together.

Tuccio, who dutifully attended every day of Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino’s racketeering trial earlier this year, wore all black to the arraignment .

Gurino, his head hung low, wore a grey tracksuit with blue stripes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadia Moore said at the hearing that a witness to the fire reported finding a dead rat on her car.

She requested Judge Steven Tiscione remand the two men, contending they’re a flight risk and pose a danger to the community.

Tiscione acknowledged that while it was “certainly a crime of violence,” nobody was physically injured in the fire.

Both Tuccio and Gurino deny the charges. Each faces a 15-year mandatory sentence if convicted.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-metro-gambino-torch-111618-story.html