New Jersey Mob Captain Found Guilty of Murder, Racketeering, and Extortion Charges

Strategic Insights -

Angelo Prisco, a reputed capo in the Genovese crime family, was found guilty of multiple charges including murder, racketeering, robbery, extortion, and operating an illegal gambling business. The verdict came after a two-week trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where the jury found Prisco, 69, of Toms River, responsible for ordering the 1992 murder of his cousin, Angelo Sangiuolo, on orders from Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, the then-boss of the Genovese family. The jury also found Prisco guilty of conspiring to commit robberies, including carjacking jewelry dealers at gunpoint in the early 1990s, and supervising a string of violent home invasions from 2003 to 2005.

Key Takeaways:

  • Prisco was found guilty of conspiring to commit robberies, including carjacking jewelry dealers at gunpoint in the early 1990s, for which he received $20,000 in cash and a bag of gold worth about $50,000.
  • He supervised a string of violent home invasions from 2003 to 2005, including a robbery in which a Rockaway Township businessman was pistol-whipped and several hundred thousand dollars' worth of cash, collectible coins, jewelry, and guns were stolen.
  • Prisco was convicted of extorting $50,000 from a Manhattan construction company owner, threatening to cut off a finger and harm his family if he didn't pay.
  • He also extorted money from a Bronx diner owner, the proprietor of a Manhattan night club, and an electrical contractor in Brooklyn.
  • Prisco's criminal history includes a 12-year sentence in New Jersey for arson and conspiracy charges related to a 1998 Bergen County fire, from which he was released in 2003 after serving just four years.
  • His release was part of a controversy surrounding the McGreevey administration, in which several Parole Board sources claimed they were ordered to release the mobster as a favor to then-Governor McGreevey.

Statistics:

  • Prisco now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years.
  • The jury found Prisco guilty of ordering the 1992 murder of his cousin, Angelo Sangiuolo.
  • Prisco's crew operated in North Jersey and New York City, with charges including murder, racketeering, robbery, extortion, and operating an illegal gambling business.

Sources:

  • The New York Times ( original source not specified in the text)
  • The Record, "New Jersey mob captain convicted of murder, racketeering" (original source not specified in the text)
  • U.S. District Court in Manhattan (no specific source or date mentioned)
  • State Parole Board officials (no specific source or date mentioned)
  • The Record, "McGreevey aide says Parole Board release was routine" (original source not specified in the text)
  • A 2006 civil suit connected to the Prisco parole (no specific source or date mentioned)