United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

NEW HAVEN MAN SENTENCED FOR GAMBLING OFFENSE

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS B. ONOFRIO JR., age 53, of 196 Saint John Street, New Haven, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas in Bridgeport following his conviction for transmitting wagering information in a gambling business. Judge Nevas ordered ONOFRIO to six months of home confinement, followed by 2 ½ years of supervised release, during which he was ordered not to participate in any legal or non-legal forms of gambling. Judge Nevas further ordered that ONOFRIO pay a fine of $10,000, and to perform 200 hours of community service.

ONOFRIO pleaded guilty on February 18, 2004, admitting that he transmitted wagering information in December 1998 while engaged in a wagering business. ONOFRIO's conviction stems from the East Haven Police Department's seizure of six weeks of sports bookmaking records from ONOFRIO and from his 1991 Buick Park Avenue. An 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.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor explained that on June 8, 2004, Mariano Grasso, who was with ONOFRIO on December 1998, pleaded guilty to conspiring to participate in an illegal sports bookmaking business. He will be sentenced in September 2004.

In addition to this conviction, the following 17 people have been convicted of federal offenses as part of this investigation: Anthony J. Ascenzia Jr., Alphonse Amendola, Carl Apuzzo, Charles Cerreta, Thomas Coppola, James Cretella, Steven Datillo, Kevin Dolan, Ralph Iannuzzi, Angelo Lucifora, Mariano Grasso, Biagio Martinelli, Benedetto Minichino, Anthony M. Natalizio, Anthony Notarino, John Joseph Vitello, and John Zullo.

"This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to disrupting illegal gambling rings and all forms of organized criminal activity, wherever they exist," U. S. Attorney O'Connor stated.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor explained that the prosecutions are the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Statewide Organized Crime Investigation Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov