United
States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release
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United
States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut |
| February 18, 2004 |
CONNECTICUT BOOKMAKERS PLEAD GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT BIAGIO MARTINELLI, age 67, of 111 Messina Drive, East Haven; U.S. Attorney O'Connor explained that MINICHINO appeared on February 13 and MARTINELLI and ONOFRIO appeared on February 18, 2004 before United States Magistrate Judge Holly F. Fitzsimmons at the Bridgeport Federal Courthouse. MINICHINO and MARTINELLI pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct an illegal gambling business and ONOFRIO pleaded guilty to transmitting wagering information. During the various court proceedings, a federal prosecutor told the Court that the federal investigators working with state and local law enforcement conducted court-authorized electronic surveillance from in late 1999 and early 2000 as part of an organized crime investigation. During this period, the FBI intercepted conversations that a New Haven based sports bookmaking business accepted more than $2,000,000 in illegal wagers on sporting events like football, baseball, and basketball. The investigation determined that the sports bookmaking business operated year-round from at least 1996 to March 2000, accepting wagers on other sporting events and accepting layoff wagers from other bookmakers. In addition to the sports bookmaking business, law enforcement officers also intercepted calls and gathered evidence of the operation of other illegal gambling businesses, including a street numbers business that operated from at least January 1997 to March 2000. The gambling businesses violated various state laws prohibiting gambling. MINICHINO admitted to agreeing with others to conduct a sports bookmaking business and MARTINELLI also admitted to agreeing with others to conduct a sports bookmaking business as well as an illegal street numbers business. With respect to ONOFRIO, he admitted to transmitting wagering information in December 1998 while engaged in a wagering business. ONOFRIO's plea stems from the East Haven Police Department's seizure of six weeks of sports bookmaking records from ONOFRIO and his 1991 Buick Park Avenue at a local parking lot. The officer also seized a portable cellular telephone, a beeper, and $2,176 cash from ONOFRIO. The Government seized and ultimately forfeited the car and cash. The seized records showed weekly wagers ranging from $41,108 to $65,812. "These guilty pleas, and the previous guilty pleas in this case, are a result of the excellent cooperation between all levels of law enforcement," U. S. Attorney O'Connor stated. "This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to disrupting illegal gambling rings and all forms of organized criminal activity, wherever they exist." MINICHINO and MARTINELLI face a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year period of court-supervised release. ONOFRIO faces a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a one year period of supervised release. Senior United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas will sentence MINICHINO on May 3 and ONOFRIO and MARTINELLI on May 7, 2004. The defendants were released on bail pending sentencing. In addition to these three convictions, the following people have been convicted of federal offenses as part of the investigation – Alphonse Amendola, Carl Apuzzo, Charles Cerreta, Thomas Coppola, James Cretella, Steven Datillo, Kevin Dolan, Ralph Iannuzzi, Angelo Lucifora, Anthony M. Natalizio, Anthony Notarino, and John Zullo. United States Attorney O'Connor explained that the guilty pleas were the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Statewide Organized Crime Investigation Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, and New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed. | |
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