Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Seven Additional Members And Associates Of Genovese And Bonanno Organized Crime Families With Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy And Loan Sharking
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of charges in Manhattan federal court against seven additional alleged members and associates of the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families, including a Genovese “Capo,” for offenses including narcotics trafficking conspiracy and loan sharking. Five other defendants, including a solider in the Genovese organized crime family, were charged in a prior Indictment with narcotics trafficking.

In connection with the Superseding Indictment unsealed today, six defendants have been arrested in New York. The six defendants taken into custody today in New York were presented and arraigned in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman this afternoon. An additional defendant, ELON VALENTINE, was previously arrested on state charges and remains detained.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, these defendants, all of whom were members and associates of the Genovese and Bonanno families, operated a narcotics trafficking scheme that ran across the country and onto our streets, on one hand, and a conspiracy to make extortionate loans, on the other. This Office is committed to rooting out any and all organized crime activity wherever we find it.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said: “Today’s charges show that the wise guys in New York tried to take a ‘higher,’ albeit illegal, approach to make money along with their usual loan sharking ways. Allegedly, members and associates of the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families along with their cohorts ran a large scale marijuana operation that included the transport of marijuana from California to New York. However wise they thought their alleged antics would be, today, the FBI stands with our law enforcement partners announcing charges to end this cross country drug trade.”

NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said: “I commend the NYPD Organized Crime Investigations Division and their FBI partners in the Joint Organized Crime Task Force for seeing this case through, as well as the prosecutors in U.S. Attorney Bharara’s office for their work on this case.”

According to the allegations in the Indictments unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and other court documents and proceedings:

Narcotics Trafficking

VINCENT BASCIANO, JR., STEPHEN BASCIANO, GEORGE KOKENYEI, JOEY BASCIANO, and VALENTINE conspired to distribute hundreds, and in some cases, thousands, of pounds of marijuana. For example, KOKENYEI arranged for large shipments of marijuana to be sent from California to New York, while BASCIANO, JR., ran a marijuana route in the Bronx, New York, that distributed hundreds of pounds of marijuana.

Loan Sharking

PASQUALE FALCETTI, a “capo” in the Genovese crime family, and THOMAS JOY conspired to make extortionate loans to victims in the Bronx, New York, and elsewhere.

* * *

A chart containing the ages and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties they face is attached.

Mr. Bharara thanked the FBI and the NYPD, specifically the FBI-NYPD Joint Organized Crime Task Force, for their work in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Mermelstein and Peter Skinner of the Organized Crime Unit 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.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/September13/BascianoetalIndictmentsPR.php

Three sons of mobster Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano charged with weed trafficking

Vincent Jr., Joseph and Stephen Basciano pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to narcotics conspiracy charges

By Dan Beekman / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

September 18, 2013

Like mobster father, like sons, the feds said Wednesday.

Three offspring of a notorious mafia boss were busted on drug trafficking charges in connection with a cross-country marijuana distribution scheme that moved thousands of pounds of the funky green stuff, authorities said.

Vincent Jr., Joseph and Stephen Basciano pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to narcotics conspiracy charges that could put them in prison for up to 40 years.

Their father, the fashion-conscious but bloodthirsty former Bonanno crime family head Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano, is serving two life terms at a supermax prison in Colorado for murder convictions.

Gorgeous’ three boys and two other men, George Kokenyei and Elon Valentine, were undone by an FBI informant, according to their indictment.

The takedown came after Kokenyei arranged for weed to be shipped from California to New York, where Vincent Jr. ran a distribution route in the Bronx, the feds said.

“We have seized evidence, recordings and compelling witness testimony,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Mermelstein said in court Wednesday.

Vincent Jr., 32, of the Bronx, was released on $500,000 bond, and brother Joseph, 27, also of the Bronx, was sprung on $250,000 bond. But Stephen, 29, a Bronx resident like his brothers, was held pending an additional hearing after prosecutors said they have tapes of the middle brother bragging about owning firearms and shooting at people.

Kokenyei was also held, and Valentine was already in state custody. Stephen Basciano has a prior conviction for assault, in 2007.

“The evidence is incredibly strong against him and he has a demonstrable history of violence,” Mermelstein said.

Joseph Basciano is facing separate charges in Queens in connection with marijuana smuggling.

In other collars by the feds, Pasquale Falcetti, a reputed “capo” in the Genovese crime family, and Thomas Joy, were busted Wednesday and charged with conspiring to make extortionate loans in the Bronx and in other areas, the feds said. Both men pleaded not guilty and made bail.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/mobster-father-sons-feds-article-1.1460443#ixzz2fJ4yfyT3

I believe Falcetti was originally part of the Bellomo/Muscarella crew. So I wonder if he now runs his own?

And, seeing this is a superseding indictment, the original they are referring to must be the one that Sally Larca got caught up in. Looks like the shipping marijuana from California to New York was a Bonanno/Genovese thing. So I guess Larca would probably be in Falcetti's crew.

Larca was working with different people in his bust unless those people were part of the same organisation on the west coast as George Kokenyei.

Whether he was working with different people or not, the cross-country operation seems to be the same one Larca was named for in a criminal complaint. And he seems to be the "Genovese soldier" the indictment here refers to.

So do the Genovese permit weed dealing? Or does weed fall under their deal drugs and die policy? I'm referring to Larca.

Supposedly, B. Bellomo sold scads of 'H' when he was younger. Drug ban...who knows. The 40 years that the Basciano guys are looking at makes me think someone will cooperate. 40 years is a looooong time. If the feds were up on their phones, video taped receipt of large packages, had a CI taping the guys- they are all dead meat.

Falcetti will probably do the 'Westside' dance, cop a plea and do his 5 to 7. All in a days work for those guys.

All true about Barney's youth; it's how he got off. The Westside ban on dealing is really just a ban on getting caught.

That being said, I still wouldn't fuck around with dope if I was a soldier in that family. Larca wasn't given a choice about taking a plea. But when they tell you to plea or die, what are you gonna do?

The Basciano boys are fucked. People are already talking about this in the neighborhood. I heard that the evidence is overwhelming, that the rat was wired for months---maybe longer, and that there might be additional charges pending.

Those boys are all right around thirty years old. If they're smart, they'll take pleas and hope to be home by the time they're forty. If they go to trial and crap out, I can honestly see Gene Gotti-John Carneglia like sentences for them. I know it's just weed, where Carneglia and Gotti were moving heroin, but it's interstate and it's a lot of weight. Plus, they're carrying their father's name. This is not a good situation at all.

Were they distributing the stuff themselves, theres only seven of them charged and it says he ran a route in the bronx. its says that valentine was arrested previously was that part of larcas bust?

lol you people really have no idea what your talking about 40 years for marijuana will ever happen in a million years.the are all charged with one account of marijuana conspiracy 40 years is a max sentence if you blow trial. they will all cop out to 3-5 years its marijuana its legal in 20 states

Very curious the size of the genovese capo's shy book

Given the weight being moved, we are probably talking a 6 figure book

Just for these transactions. Would not be shocked if he put up $1m . Falcetti no doubt was

an earner.

High end marajuana wholesaling really is a great business to be in as the

Margins could be very good and the stigma has been taken away . I'm going to guess

The plea offers might not be too bad as some juries could be indifferent to this activity ,

And like the previous poster indicated , no way is anyone getting 40 years , simple

Conspiracy without any weight on them is probably a 5-7 year penalty , if that . There

Is probably some warehouse in the Bronx right now with a ton of shit in it.

I have heard the genovese are a big player in this business and with

This coming from CA , I'm sure this was Humboldt t county primo shit.

I know LCN business is down but I still think these guys are bringing in loads of $ .

In NY and NJ between construction , garbage, recycling. weed , lending and bookmaking

there is still huge amounts of $ being made . Barney must really be sitting on a huge

fucking pile Of cash . Im still amazed how well run the westside is, they

Are pretty close to unstoppable, they are just monsters in the NYC carpenters union and

Newark waterfront , everyone knows this and the Feds still can't push them out. I have recently become aware of a few big busts on waterfront that they controlled and not one made man was in the indictment , just powerhouses .

The Feds know it is such a joke now that Holder has promulgated rules advising federal prosecutors not to take cases involving pot dealing. Granted there is an exception for OC or if it was a conspiracy involving violence.

I doubt they do 10 years. 5-7 with a plea.

There's Is not an ice cubes chance in hell one of them flips, the father committed martyrdom for the Bonnano family an he's gunna die in the hole possibly, I just don't think they would do that to him but hey peoe have flipped for allot less. that being said I'm really not sure how involved the two younger brothers were they are certainly not straightened out

true holder taken away the mandatory mim is huge. if the get the mandatory mim taken away in this case the case would be nonsense they would do two years..supposedly the cw-1 on the case is the same as the larca case is the mamas boy I don't see how they can use him after he lied and got thrown out of witsec

I wonder if this reaches Ernie muscarella

I could see up to 10yrs for falcetti, he's been convicted of the same offenses before
That being said I think he gets about 5
Sally ko. Could get 8 or 9


The weed and coke drugs etc etc is nothing new for the Bronx crews of the westside
The undertaker ran a huge coke ring for them they're a few yrs ago
The guy who's close to Judge pirro

Vincent basciano jr according to the indictment
His marijuana route sold 2pounds a week
Not kilos on kilos

Are you saying these guys were selling oz's of weed? Not even moving major weight?

Perfect example of the difference in power and money between the Genovese and Bonnano la cosa nostra families

Sally KO a soldier of the Genvese family in the Bronx sells 500 pounds of marijuana a month , up to 3 thousand pounds, receiving 1k per pound

Vinny basciano jr a soldier in the bonnano familie in thebbronx sells 2 pounds a week

It's the difference between Michael Jordan and joe Johnson
It's not even close

Yeah I definitely beleive muscarella may be indicted in the next few months or so along maybe with bellomo


Larca is under Ernie muscarella
Larca made more than 2 million a year from this

Selling 2 pounds a week on his weed route sounds like he was busting it up into oz's and selling it. I could be wrong but thats what it sounds like to me. Maybe a quarter lb to one guy, a couple oz's to the next.. etc.

Yeah Ozs probably even half Es Es and quarters

everyone on the case is charged with 100kg of marijuana conspiracy what is 200 pounds konkennie is charged with 1000 kg seems to me like a bullshit case just to bust balls

Genoese are monsters in Weed trade , bigtime wholesalers , these guys being in millions

Highly doubt Musc and barney are involved in this , they to insulated

I recall an article back in the late 1990's that talked about the Genovese family "controlling the hot marijuana market in parts of the city." If you look at the indictments, there are examples of drug trafficking by them, though relatively less so than the other families. As another article stated, "the Genovese family has maintained sophisticated construction and labor racketeering schemes as others dumbed down to drug dealing and street rackets."



I know that recent article said that Larca was in Muscarella's crew. I'm still wondering if this bust shows that Falcetti is the captain of that crew, with Bellomo and Muscarella on the ruling panel. Or if Falcetti has his own crew now. Because I believe Falcetti was also from the Bellomo/Muscarella crew.

Falcetti was under barney. Ernie Muscarella has had a seperate crew from barneys for about ten yrs or so. Would be no surprise that falcetti has a different crew.

So you're saying Muscarella broke off from the Bellomo crew with his own? About a decade ago would be around the time he was acting boss too.

Should have learned from there dad.....i guess the feds must have really crushed vinny gorgeous an his wife well massino family collects millions in rents..his kids selling ounces of kush,haze,kb ect. He must hate himself rite now, chins kids all legit all his blood. Even gottis grand kids probaly dont hurt for shit remember jurnior gottis trials im broke he was gonna sell his mansion well its probaly worse double now 10mill. I hope tommy shots flips his case cause some of these guys just get smoked for bs.

These guys shouldnt of been doing this.There father is doing life and didnt snitch on none so some of these bonnanos should of given them some really easy racket to run it didnt have to be huge money maker.im sure the father would of told them to pull the head i dont think Vinny b is like carmine persico or nicky scarfo who obsess that there sons have to be out doing crimes everyday

Well, that was exactly the point I was trying to make. Little Vinny is almost 33. They'll kick this around the court system for a year or so, then he has to plea out and he'll be home by the time he turns forty. Because if they take this to trial and lose, they'll get hammered.