Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSEPH SABELLA, a/k/a “Joe Valet,” was sentenced to 87 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein for his role as a captain in the Bonanno Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated:  “As he admitted in open court, Joseph Sabella was an active member of the Bonanno Crime Family who engaged in numerous racketeering acts.  He will now spend years in prison for his crimes.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute members of La Cosa Nostra who intimidate, threaten, and harm members of our community.”

According to the Indictment, documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:

La Cosa Nostra (“LCN”), also known as the “Mob” or the “Mafia,” operates through entities known as “Families.”  In the New York City area, there are five LCN Families, namely, the Bonanno Family, the Genovese Family, the Luchese Family, the Colombo Family, and the Gambino Family.  Members and associates of one La Cosa Nostra family at times work together with other La Cosa Nostra families in jointly undertaken criminal ventures.

The Bonanno Family, like other LCN Families, operates through a group of individuals known as “crews,” each of which is led by a “capo” or “captain.”  The crews are composed of “made” members, called “soldiers,” and trusted non-members called “associates.”  Above the capos are the highest-ranking members – the boss or acting boss, the underboss, and the consigliere, or counselor – who oversee the Family.

Between 2012 and January 2018, SABELLA acted as soldier and then captain in the Bonanno Family.  As a member of the Bonanno Family, SABELLA engaged in numerous racketeering acts, including extortion, fraud, and physical assaults.  In particular, SABELLA participated in the long-term extortion of a New York-based demolition company (“Company-1”) that netted the Bonanno Family thousands of dollars a year for nearly three decades.  SABELLA also participated in the physical assault of the owner of a strip club (“Victim-1”) and the subsequent extortion of Victim-1 out of his legitimate and illegitimate business interests.

SABELLA, 54, of Monroe, New Jersey, previously pled guilty on February 12, 2019, to conspiracy to commit racketeering.  As part of his guilty plea, SABELLA admitted to his involvement in the extortion of Company-1, the extortion of Victim-1, a large-scale, multi-year fraud at a construction site on Staten Island, and the physical assaults on Victim-1 and one of Sabella’s former business partners, all as part of his participation in the Bonanno Family.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jason M. Swergold, Gina Castellano, and Jacob R. Fiddelman are in charge of the prosecution.

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EUGENE CASTELLE, a/k/a “Boobsie,” was found guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering and operation of an illegal gambling business following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “For years, Eugene Castelle used intimidation and threats of violence to line his pockets as a member of the Luchese Family of La Cosa Nostra.  Castelle now stands convicted of serious federal crimes.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute members of the Mafia.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented in court during the trial:

Between 2012 and January 2018, CASTELLE acted as a soldier in the Luchese Family of La Cosa Nostra, often referred to as the Mafia.  CASTELLE used his position in the Luchese Family to receive thousands of dollars, over multiple years, from a large-scale illegal sports betting business operating through off-shore websites in Costa Rica.  CASTELLE protected the business from other members of the Mafia, used threats of violence to collect debts owed to the business, and extorted the bookmaker for annual payments of “tribute.”  CASTELLE also committed other racketeering acts, such as holding a “no show” job as a carpenter at a construction project where he was paid a carpenter’s wages for many months without ever settting foot on the jobsite. 

*                      *                     *

CASTELLE, 59, of Staten Island, New York, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of operation of an illegal gambling business, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years.  The jury acquitted CASTELLE of one count of attempted extortion.  The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  CASTELLE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Hellerstein on September 20, 2019. 

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Berman also thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  The trial in this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Hagan Scotten and Jacob R. Fiddelman.

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael C. Mikulka, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Regional Office of the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, (“DOL-OIG”), Charles Brandeis, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office (“DSS”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 10 individuals with racketeering and other offenses in connection with the activities of the organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra.  The Indictment charges eight members of the Bonanno Family – Acting Boss JOSEPH CAMMARANO, JR., Consigliere JOHN ZANCOCCHIO, JOSEPH SABELLA, GEORGE TROPIANO, ALBERT ARMETTA, DOMENICK MINIERO, JOSEPH SANTAPAOLO, and SIMONE ESPOSITO – with racketeering conspiracy involving a wide range of crimes, including extortion, loansharking, wire and mail fraud, narcotics distribution, and conspiracy to commit murder.  Genovese Family member ERNEST MONTEVECCHI is charged with participating in that conspiracy as well.  Several of the defendants and Luchese Family member EUGENE CASTELLE are charged with conspiracy to commit extortion.  ARMETTA is additionally charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same.

 

Of the 10 defendants charged in the Indictment, nine were taken into federal custody this morning.  SANTAPAOLO was presented this morning before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  The rest of the defendants will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses later today.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. 

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

 

La Cosa Nostra (“LCN”), also known as the “Mob” or the “Mafia,” operates through entities known as “Families.”  In the New York City area, there are five LCN Families, namely, the Bonanno Family, the Genovese Family, the Luchese Family, the Colombo Family, and the Gambino Family.  Members and associates of one La Cosa Nostra family at times work together with other La Cosa Nostra families in jointly undertaken criminal ventures.

 

The Bonanno Family, like other LCN Families, operates through a group of individuals known as “crews,” each of which are led by a “capo” or “captain.”  The crews are composed of “made” members, called “soldiers,” and trusted non-members called “associates.”  Above the Capos are the highest-ranking members – the Boss or Acting Boss, the Underboss, and the Consigliere, or counselor – who oversee the Family.

 

At times relevant to the Indictment, the defendants held the following positions with their respective LCN Families:  CAMMARANO was a captain and the Acting Boss of the Bonanno Family; ZANCOCCHIO was a captain and the Consigliere of the Bonanno Family; SABELLA was a captain of the Bonanno Family; TROPIANO was a soldier and an acting captain of the Bonanno Family; ESPOSITO was the Consigliere of the Bonanno Family; MINIERO, SANTAPAOLO, and ARMETTA were soldiers in the Bonanno Family; MONTEVECCHI was a soldier in the Genovese Family; and CASTELLE was a soldier in the Luchese Family.

 

Count One of the Indictment charges CAMMARANO, ZANCOCCHIO, SABELLA, TROPIANO, ARMETTA, MINIERO, SANTAPAOLO, ESPOSITO, and MONTEVECCHI with participating in a racketeering conspiracy.  Count Two charges ARMETTA with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same.  Count Three charges CAMMARANO, ZANCOCCHIO, SABELLA, TROPIANO, MINIERO, and CASTELLE with extortion conspiracy.

 

*          *          *

 

Set forth below is a chart containing the names, ages, residences, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants.  The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

 

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, DOL-OIG, DSS, NYPD, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Berman also thanked the New York City Business Integrity Commission and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

 

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Swergold and Jessica Greenwood 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.

 

United States v. Joseph Cammarano, Jr., et al., 18 Cr. 15 (AKH)



DEFENDANT





AGE





CHARGES





MAXIMUM PENALTY





JOSEPH CAMMARANO, JR., a/k/a “Joe C”





58





 

RICO Conspiracy; Extortion Conspiracy

 





 

20 years in prison for each count





JOHN ZANCOCCHIO, a/k/a “Porky”





60





 

RICO Conspiracy; Extortion Conspiracy

 





 

20 years in prison for each count





JOSEPH SABELLA, a/k/a “Joe Valet”





52





 

RICO Conspiracy;

Extortion Conspiracy





 

20 years in prison for each count





GEORGE TROPIANO, a/k/a “Grumpy”





68





 

RICO Conspiracy;

Extortion Conspiracy





 

20 years in prison for each count





ALBERT ARMETTA, a/k/a “Al Muscles”





48





 

RICO Conspiracy;

Assault in Aid of Racketeering





 

20 years in prison for each count





DOMINECK MINIERO





85





 

RICO Conspiracy;

Extortion Conspiracy





 

20 years in prison for each count





JOSEPH SANTAPAOLO, a/k/a “Joey Blue Eyes”





66





 

 

RICO Conspiracy





 

 

20 years in prison





SIMONE ESPOSITO





47





 

RICO Conspiracy





 

20 years in prison





ERNEST MONTEVECCHI, a/k/a “Butch”





72





 

 

RICO Conspiracy





 

 

20 years in prison





EUGENE CASTELLE, a/k/a “Boobsie”





57





 

 

Extortion Conspiracy





 

 

20 years in prison



 

 



[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.