By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
The former acting boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family Arthur Nigro and two associates were sentenced to life in prison Monday in Manhattan federal court for multiple crimes including racketeering, extortion and loansharking and murders of people they suspected of snitching to authorities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Nigro and associates Fotios Geas and Ty Geas, who are brothers, were all convicted in April.
“The catalogue of vicious and lethal crimes committed by these three defendants provides a stark reminder of the lengths to which the mob will go to protect their turf and exact revenge,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. “With today’s sentences, these men will now be put out of the mafia’s ugly and violent business for life.”
Authorities said that Nigro rose to the position of Acting Boss of the Genovese Family in the early 2000s, running operations in the Bronx, Springfield, Mass. and other places.
The defendants were convicted in Manhattan federal court of the November 23, 2003, murder of Adolfo Bruno, a Captain in the Genovese Organized Crime Family, in Springfield, Mass. Authorities alleged that Nigro ordered the hit to increase his in power in the Genovese family, and to punish Bruno for speaking to the FBI.
Fotios and Ty Geas ultimately enlisted the person who carried out the murder.
Fotioius and Ty Geas were also convicted of the Nov. 4, 2003, murder of Gary Westerman in Agawam, Mass. The defendants shot and killed Westerman after they suspected him of cooperating with the Massachusetts State Police.
The three men were also convicted of the attempted murder of Frank Dadabo, which NIGRO had ordered because of a union-related dispute. On May 19, 2003, Ty Geas shot shot Dadabo nine times on a Bronx street. Fotios helped plan the hit and drove the getaway car, authorities said.
All three defendants were also convicted of conspiring to murder Louis Santos, who they suspected was cooperating with authorities.
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