Posted on 01/16/2013 12:13:39 PM PST by RitchieAprile
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George C. Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and George N. Longworth, the Commissioner of the Westchester County Police Department, today announced the unsealing of charges against 32 individuals as part of a multi-year investigation into organized crime’s alleged continuing control of large aspects of the commercial waste-hauling industry in the greater New York City metropolitan area and in parts of New Jersey. The main indictment charges 12 defendants under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that asserted illegal and extortionate control over commercial waste-hauling companies and 17 other defendants with individual acts of extortion, loansharking, and other crimes associated with those activities. The charges are contained in three indictments, United States v. Franco, et al., United States v. Giustra, et al., and United States v. Lopez.
Thirty of the defendants were arrested this morning in connection with today’s charges and will be presented and arraigned in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox later this afternoon. Two defendants, Dominick Pietranico and Pasquale P. Cartalemi, are expected to surrender this week.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “As alleged, organized crime still wraps its tentacles around industries it has fed off for decades, but law enforcement continues to pry loose its grip. Here, as described in the indictments, organized crime insinuated itself into the waste disposal industry throughout a vast swath of counties in New York and New Jersey, and the tactics they used to exert and maintain their control come right out of the mafia playbook—extortion, intimidation, and threats of violence. And while these accused mobsters may have hidden themselves behind seemingly legitimate owners of waste disposal businesses, law enforcement was able to pierce that veil through its painstaking, multi-year investigation. Organized crime has many victims—in this case small business owners who pay for waste removal, potential competitors, and the communities infected by this corruption and its cost. Organized crime is in a losing battle, and we and our law enforcement partners remain committed to its extinction.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge George C. Venizelos said, “The indictments show the ongoing threat posed by mob families and their criminal associates. In addition to the violence that often accompanies their schemes, the economic impact amounts to a mob tax on goods and services. The arrests—the culmination of a long and thorough investigation—also show the ongoing determination of the FBI to diminishing the influence of La Cosa Nostra.”
Westchester County Police Department Commissioner George N. Longworth said, “The long-term partnership between the Westchester County Police and federal law enforcement is an important means of combating organized crime and ensuring that businesses in Westchester are free to operate without fear of extortion or undue influence.”
The following allegations are based on the indictments unsealed today and statements made in Manhattan federal court:
Twelve of the defendants, who are members and associates of three different Organized Crime Families of La Cosa Nostra (LCN)—the Genovese, Gambino, and Luchese Crime Families—are charged with participating in a RICO enterprise in which they worked together to control various waste disposal businesses in the New York City metropolitan area and multiple counties in New Jersey (the “Waste Disposal Enterprise,” or “Enterprise”). The Waste Disposal Enterprise was a criminal organization, the members of which engaged in crimes including extortion, loansharking, mail and wire fraud, and stolen property offenses. Carmine Franco, Anthony Pucciarello, Howard Ross, Anthony Cardinale, Peter Leconte, Frank Oliver, Charles Giustra, Dominick Pietranico, Joseph Sarcinella, William Cali, Scott Fappiano, and Anthony Bazzini (“Enterprise members”) were leaders and members of the Waste Disposal Enterprise who committed crimes as part of the racketeering conspiracy in order to accomplish the Enterprise’s goals of enhancing its power, financially enriching its members, and keeping its victims—including small business owners and potential competitors—in check by threatening economic and physical harm.
Waste Disposal Enterprise members avoided any official connection to the waste disposal businesses they controlled because they were either officially banned from the waste hauling industry or unlikely to be granted the necessary licenses required to do business in the waste hauling industry because of their affiliations with organized crime. Accordingly, Enterprise members concealed themselves behind waste disposal businesses that were officially owned and operated by non-Enterprise members (“Controlled Owners”), who were able to obtain the necessary licenses because they had no known affiliations with organized crime. Ultimately, Enterprise members exerted control over these waste disposal businesses by, among other things, dictating which trash pick-up stops that a particular hauling company could use and extorting payments in exchange for protection by individuals associated with organized crime. By asserting and enforcing purported “property rights” over the trash pick-up routes, the Enterprise members excluded any competitor that might offer lower prices or better service, in effect imposing a criminal tax on businesses and communities. Separately, some of the Controlled Owners were also committing crimes, including stealing property of competing waste disposal businesses and defrauding customers of their customers.
The operation of the Waste Disposal Enterprise was coordinated by and among factions of the LCN families through the use of “sit-downs” to determine which faction would control a particular waste disposal company and established the financial terms upon which control of that company could be transferred from one faction to another in return for payment.
During the time period alleged in the indictment, Enterprise members extorted a Controlled Owner, who, unknown to them, was a cooperating witness (the “CW”). The CW incorporated a waste removal company (the “CW Company”) that ultimately was controlled by a number of different factions of the Waste Disposal Enterprise.
At various times, the CW Company was under the control of Carmine Franco, a Genovese Crime Family associate who was banned by New Jersey authorities from maintaining any involvement in the waste hauling business in that state due to prior criminal convictions. A Genovese Crime Family crew based principally in Lodi, New Jersey (“Lodi Crew”), which included Genovese Family soldiers Anthony Pucciarello and Peter Leconte, as well as Genovese Family associates Anthony Cardinalle, Howard Ross, and Frank Oliver, subsequently wrested control of the CW’s waste company from Franch and further extorted the CW for weekly payments for “protection” from other LCN factions. In addition, at various times, a different faction of the Genovese Crime Family—led by Genovese soldiers Dominick “Pepe” Pietranico and Jopseh Sarcinella—and a Gambino Crime Family crew—including Gambino Family soldier Anthony Bazzini and associate Scott Fappiano—controlled the CW’s waste hauling company.
In addition to the 12 defendants charged as members of the Waste Disposal Enterprise, 17 defendants are charged with carrying out various illegal activities in relation to the waste hauling industry. These illegal activities include: extortion, mail and wire fraud conspiracy, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
* * *
Charts identifying each defendant, the charges, and the maximum penalties, as well as the defendants’ ages and residency information are at the conclusion of this release. U.S. District Judges Kevin P. Castel, Colleen McMahon, and Laura Taylor Swain have been assigned to this case.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara thanked the FBI and the Westchester County Police Department for their work in the four-year investigation, which he noted is ongoing. Mr. Bharara also thanked the New York City Business Integrity Commission, the New York State Police, and the town of Orangetown Police Department for providing invaluable assistance with the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arianna R. Berg, Natalie Lamarque, and Brian R. Blais are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin S. Bell of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit is responsible for the forfeiture of assets.
The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* * *
United States v. Franco, et al.
Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalty
One RICO Conspiracy Carmine Franco; Anthony Pucciarello; Howard Ross; Anthony Cardinalle; Peter Leconte; Frank Oliver; Charles Giustra; Dominick Pietranico; Joseph Sarcinella; William Cali; Scott Fappiano; Anthony Bazzini 20 years in prison Two Extortion Carmine Franco 20 years in prison Three Mail and wire fraud conspiracy Carmine Franco; Pasquale Carbone, Sr.; Gail Iorio; Dominick Rao 30 years in prison Four Interstate transportation of stolen property Carmine Franco; Stephen Moscatello; Robert Franco Five years in prison Five Interstate transportation of stolen property Carmine Franco; Robert Franco Five years in prison Six Extortion conspiracy Anthony Pucciarello; Howard Ross; Anthony Cardinalle; Peter Leconte; Frank Oliver Five years in prison Seven Extortion conspiracy William Cali; William Rivera 20 years in prison Eight Extortion conspiracy Scott Fappiano; Anthony Bazzini 20 years in prison Nine Conspiracy to make extortionate extensions of credit Dominick Pietranico; Joseph Sarcinella 20 years in prison 10 Making extortionate extensions of credit Dominick Pietranico; Joseph Sarcinella 20 years in prison 11 Conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means Dominick Pietranico; Joseph Sarcinella 20 years in prison 12 Collecting extensions of credit by extortionate means Dominick Pietranico; Joseph Sarcinella 20 years in prison 13 Extortion conspiracy Mario Velez; Pasquale P. Cartalemi, Jr; Pasquale L. Cartalemi; Andrew McGuire 20 years in prison 14 Extortion Mario Velez; Pasquale P. Cartalemi, Jr; Pasquale L. Cartalemi 20 years in prison 15 Interstate transportation of stolen property Joseph Bertolino; Brian Petroll; Robert Zarzuela; Jonathan Greene Five years in prison 16 Interstate transportation of stolen property Thomas Giordano; Michael Russo; Louis Dontis Five years in prison
United States v. Giustra, et al.
Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalty
One Trafficking in contraband cigarettes Charles Giustra; Vincent Dimino; Joseph Antico Five years in prison Two Narcotics conspiracy Charles Giustra 40 years in prison Three Interstate transportation of stolen property Charles Giustra Five years in prison
United States v. Lopez
Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalty
One Felon in possession of a firearm Kenneth Lopez 10 years in prison
Defendants
Name Age Resident Carmine Franco 77 Ramsey, New Jersey
Anthony Pucciarello 77 Bloomfield, New Jersey Howard Ross 53 Brooklyn, New York
Anthony Cardinalle 60 Saddle River, New Jersey Peter Leconte 42 Lodi, New Jersey Frank Oliver 46 North Haledon, New Jersey Charles Giustra 51 Staten Island, New York Dominick Pietranico 82 Mahopac, New York Joseph Sarcinella 78 Scarsdale, New York William Cali 59 Queens, New York Scott Fappiano 51 Staten Island, New York Anthony Bazzini 53 Glen Head, New York Pasquale Carbone, Sr. 70 White Plains, New York Gail Iorio 49 Succasunna, New Jersey Dominick Rao 76 Suffern, New York Stephen Moscatello 52 Piermont, New York Robert Franco 50 Hartsdale, New York William Rivera 47 Queens Village, New York Mario Velez 44 Peekskill, New York Pasquale P. Cartalemi, Jr. 50 Cortlandt Manor, New York Pasquale L. Cartalemi 27 Cortlandt Manor, New York Andrew McGuire 29 Hawthorne, New York Joseph Bertolino 46 Wantage, New Jersey Brian Petroll 47 Columbia, New Jersey Robert Zarzuela 38 North Bergen, New Jersey Jonathan Greene 47 Teaneck, New Jersey Thomas Giordano 42 North Arlington, New Jersey Michael Russo 50 Staten Island, New York Louis Dontis 58 Staten Island, New York Vincent Dimino 50 Brooklyn, New York Joseph Antico 65 Staten Island, New York Kenneth Lopez 39 Bronx, New York
Omerta, Ritchie. Omerta. You and Jackie took the oath. Youse shouldn’t be talkin’ ‘bout the family business like this.
wonder how things are on my old route? remember when i tipped on that whiner’s parking lot?
“In addition to the violence that often accompanies their schemes, the economic impact amounts to a mob tax on goods and services.”
Nothing compared to DC and City Hall...
Chichago moving in?
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