Vincent Filipelli of Cherry Hill, who more than a decade ago was a bodyguard and driver for a leader of Philadelphia's organized crime family, was sentenced Wednesday to 66 months in federal prison.
Filipelli had pleaded guilty to interstate travel in aid of racketeering, an offense that covered his admission that he told a man in Philadelphia he would "put him in the hospital for a year" if he did not pay a $10,000 illegal sports gambling bet.
The target of the threat was an undercover New Jersey State Police detective.
While his sentencing was pending in U.S. District Court, Filipelli was indicted by a state grand jury in November on charges of running a gambling Web site and possession of illegal steroids and weapons. The weapons and steroids were found during a raid at Filipelli's house.
The gambling charges are pending in state court.
Wednesday's sentencing by U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman followed more than 12 hours of legal argument over two days from defense attorney Donald F. Manno and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D'Aguanno.
Manno sought a lighter sentence because Filipelli had pleaded guilty. D'Aguanno wanted more time because of Filipelli's admitted connection to La Cosa Nostra.
Filipelli has been in custody since his arrest on federal charges in October 2006.
At a bail hearing following that arrest, friends and neighbors on Filipelli's block of West New York Avenue in Erlton almost filled a courtroom in U.S. District Court, offering support and pledging money to meet his bail.
