Stephen Caracappa, one of the notorious NYPD “Mafia Cops” who moonlighted as a hitman for the Luchese crime family, has died in federal prison.

Caracappa, 75, who was serving out his sentence at a federal detention center in Butner, N.C., died on April 8, federal prison records show.

Caracappa and his partner, Louis Eppolito, 68, were sentenced to life behind bars in 2009 for committing eight mob-ordered executions between 1986 and 1990.

It’s not clear how he died, but in June 2016, Caracappa petitioned Federal Judge Jack Weinstein, who handed out his life sentence, for “compassionate release.”

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“Please know I have been fighting the case in the courts ... I have stage 4 cancer and will not survive,” he pleaded in a handwritten letter to the judge.

Weinstein replied a month later, “There is nothing I can do in your case.”

Stephen Caracappa wrote a letter to Judge Jack Weinstein to seek a "compassionate release" on June 27, 2016.
(BROOKLYN FEDERAL COURT)
Judge Jack Weinstein responds to Caracappa's letter.
(BROOKLYN FEDERAL COURT)
Stephen Caracappa wrote a letter (left) to Judge Jack Weinstein to seek a "compassionate release" on June 27, 2016. (Right) Weinstein responds to Caracappa.
Caracappa and Eppolito earned $4,000 a month on the payroll of Luchese underboss Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso from 1986 to 1990 to orchestrate murders and pass along confidential police information.

The city shelled out $18.4 million to settle seven lawsuits with the families of their victims, who included a diamond dealer the pair kidnapped and murdered, two Gambino made men, two Luchese mobsters and a mob-connected painters' union leader.

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Mafia cop Louis Eppolito (pictured) is still in prison serving a life sentence.
Mafia cop Louis Eppolito (pictured) is still in prison serving a life sentence. (DECRESCENZO,NEIL FREELANCE)
At their sentencing, the son of one of the duo’s victims, Gambino capo Edward Lino, unloaded on the two dirty detectives.

“These two lowlifes shot and killed my father," Vincent Lino said in court, amid cheers. “May you have a long life in prison.”

Eppolito remains locked away in a high-security penitentiary in Tucson.
http://www.nydailynews.com

I dislike how they say that he and Eppolito were sentenced for "committing eight mob-ordered executions". I feel like that's somewhat misleading. And I'm pretty sure they were only tied to the deaths of one Gambino made guy. Lino. I assume the other one they're thinking of is Hydell, but we know that's not accurate.

And not to be rude to the son of Eddie Lino, but his father was a gangster, drug dealer and murderer. He wasn't just a nice guy driving around one day who got killed. Doesn't justify it, but in the end he was a gangster who got killed by a couple of gangsters(or guys who liked playing gangsters) who also happened to be cops.

The book The Good Rat about these guys was really good

Compassionate release ? Fuck you, a cop that betrayl and take orders by a criminal deserve to die in prison.

One of the best mob books you can read in my opinion.

Wasn't one of their family members involved in LCN?
Not sure if it was Carracapa or Epolitto but, remember reading that one of their fathers or uncle was a member.

Not that it makes their willingness to cross over any better but, not as shocking as it would have been if there was no link and a good cop just decided to sell himself out.

Eppolito had an uncle and a cousin in the Gambino family. Nino Gaggi had both of them killed.

Louis Eppolito had a grandfather, father, two uncles, and two cousins that we know about involved with LCN.

oh of corse Eddie lino kever liker abyone before i his lifeeeee adnnot heroiN deale and how gunn down Pig Paul edie is wass GOOD MAN

Was a very shaky case against these two. They were crooked but hitmen idk. I would have been hung up.

No pmac would be too easy to hung them. They should stay in prison and watch their back because the inmates hate cops and fear to be raped,injured,beaten up ecc.

On a related note, Lou Eppolito has been investiagting the murders of Hydell and Lino from behind bars just to help the family's of the victims. Well, his hard work payed off, Eppolito has found the killer: Steve Caracappa.

REST IN PIECES

Bad guys with a good guy badge are the worst..

yeah Nino gaggi and Peter piacanti were both shot by police during the shootout

good riddance

rot in piss fuckin, crooked ass fence riding pig

see ya in hell Stephen lol

No Loss..Good bye Douche bag..

All kidding aside. It was guys like caracappa and eppolito that helped give the mafia its strength. People were always afraid the cops were on the mobs payroll and if they ever complained about mob guys, the crooked cops would get wind of it. Thats why you have the witness protection. It was much harder for a crooked cop to determine the whereabouts of a cooperator.
Law enforcement should be held to much higher standards and caracappa and eppolito were certainly dealt with correctly. They are two evil people.

terrible person. hard to even feel the slightest sympathy for him. louie eppolito is even worse.

In the 1960s crime crisis NYPD lowered the standards to increase the ranks,they know that eppolito had pants in the mob but close an eye on it.

I've got no sympathy for him and no respect at all for guys who wear the badge and cross that line.

how could eppolito get on the NYPD when his family were made guys ? he was crooked from the beginning of his police service, he should have been off the force before he hooked up with casso.

I agree. If someone takes an oath to enforce the law, they work for the people and they should stay in their lane, on the right side of the law.

There were a few good books on these 2 pricks. Been a few years but i forgot the way they were vonvicted of the lino hit. I guess it makes sense a cop pulled him over. These 2 guys were evil. Just alot of the case was based on what one wiseguy told the next basically casso n burt kaplan. The finger prints on the nypd cherry hill gambinos file should have gotten the fat one the ax.

And if eppokito never went on sally jesse raphel to premote his book this case would have never come together.

They were evil. They killed a guy who was a legit guy, because he had the same name as a gangster. They were obviously not good cops, and they were incompetent hitmen.

Probably has been posted already, but did ya's see Ray Liotta talking about Eppolito ??

[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/YD0zYjrYe9c[/video]

I always wondered if that's who he was talking about but is it definitely him?

Eppolito was in the opening scene of Goodfella's so I'm pretty confident that's who he's talking about !1

Reminds me of DiLeonardo and DeBatt's relatives whining about Gravano during that interview hosted by Diane Sawyer.

Are there ANY wives and children of mafia figures who take responsibility for their own lives?

Instead of looking for handouts and free passes all the time.

Wasn't it John Manca who was Rey Liotta's security detail, he had family who were involved with the Colombo and Lucchese crime families.