LAWFUEL – MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, announced that CIRO PERRONE, a
“Capo,” or “Captain” in the Genovese Organized Crime Family, was
sentenced earlier today to 60 months in prison. PERRONE, 87, was
convicted by a jury in June 2007, following a two-week trial, of
all counts against him, including a violation of the Racketeer
Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) statute. The
sentence was imposed by United States District Judge ROBERT P.
PATTERSON in Manhattan federal court. According to documents
filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
PERRONE has been a “made” member of the Genovese
Organized Crime Family since at least the 1960s, and was promoted
to the supervisory rank of Capo in the 1990s, taking over the
crew formerly under the control of Genovese Family Acting Boss
MATTHEW IANNIELLO, a/k/a “Matty The Horse,” who pleaded guilty to
racketeering charges in this case. In his capacity as Capo,
PERRONE supervised and directed the criminal activities of
numerous other “made” members and associates of the Genovese
Family, which activities included operation of a lucrative
gambling business and extensive loansharking operation. PERRONE
based his criminal business in Ozone Park, Queens, engineering
crimes from a number of locations, including his own “social club
” located on 101 Street, and various establishments in the st
neighborhood, including a local butcher shop and Don Peppe’s
restaurant, where PERRONE regularly met with other members and
associates of organized crime.
PERRONE was convicted of four separate racketeering
acts — including operation of the gambling business,
loansharking conspiracy, and loansharking against two named
victims; RICO conspiracy; conspiracy to make extortionate
extensions of credit; and conspiracy to use extortionate means to
collect extensions of credit.
At the sentencing earlier today, PERRONE requested that
he be sentenced to a term of 12 months and one day imprisonment.
Judge PATTERSON rejected that request, and stated that this type
of crime is difficult to prosecute, as “it is hard to get
witnesses. People are afraid of retaliation against them and
their families,” adding, “This type of crime is a crime that eats
away at the good things that go on in our world.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge PATTERSON
sentenced PERRONE to 2 years of supervised release and ordered
him to forfeit $150,000 and pay a $12,500 fine.
Mr. GARCIA praised the work of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation and the New York City Police Department in this
case.
Assistant United States Attorney ELIE HONIG is in
charge of the prosecution.
08-47 ###
