April 3, 2003
TWENTY-NINE ALLEGED MOB WANNABES
INDICTED AS RESULT OF UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION; DEFENDANTS ALLEGEDLY PART OF
HOWARD BEACH CREWS THAT SOLD COCAINE, ECSTASY, KETAMINE, VICODIN AND MARIHUANA;
DEFENDANTS INCLUDE SON OF ALLEGED GAMBINO CRIME FAMILY CAPO
AND SOPRANOS TV SHOW ACTOR
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced today the indictment of over two dozen alleged drug dealers -- who allegedly operated as part of a number of drug crews based in Howard Beach, Queens -- on charges that they sold narcotics and controlled substances -- including cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, Vicodin and marihuana. It is alleged that the “wanna be” drug crews operated on the fringe of organized crime in Gambino mob turf in Queens County and that two of them reaped windfall profits of over $1 million a year.
One of the defendants, Christopher Carneglia, is the son of a alleged Gambino crime family capo. Another defendant, Richard Maldone, is an actor who plays a capo on the hit cable television show, “The Sopranos.”
District Attorney Brown said, "The defendants are alleged to have sold drugs and controlled substances and to have belonged to “wanna be’ drug crews that made profits of over $1 million a year. Some crew members are alleged to have led vapid, self-indulgent lifestyles in expensive restaurants, night clubs, health clubs and tanning salons and may have thought that they were living on easy street when in fact they were already under investigation and headed to prison.”
Police Commissioner Kelly said, ""During the investigation we learned that these groups dealt in a wide variety of drugs, and could move large quantities. They had money and status, and seemed to get away with anything. Today these men are behind bars. Their days of drug dealing and easy money are over. Their crews have been wiped out. I want to commend the undercover officers who once again put their lives on the line to keep us all safe."
The defendants are variously charged in a 102-count indictment with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Degree; Criminal Sale of Marihuana in the First and Third Degree; Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree; Grand Larceny in the Second Degree; Money Laundering in the Fourth Degree and Conspiracy in the Second, Fourth and Fifth Degree. Some of the defendants face up to life in prison if convicted.
According to the charges, NYPD Queens Narcotics Division detectives obtained information in January, 2001 about an illegal shipment of drugs and began an undercover investigation known as Operation Beach Boys.
During the investigation prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Narcotics Investigation Bureau obtained court-ordered eavesdropping warrants which enabled investigators to intercept telephone conversations among the members of the drug crews.
Investigators learned that many of the drug crew members were unemployed, lived at home with their parents and led an aimless lifestyle that included dining out at expensive restaurants, driving luxury vehicles, hanging out at clubs in Manhattan and the Hamptons and working out at a health club on Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach. Others allegedly liked to visit a tanning salon on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills.
According to the charges, between March 10, 2001 and March 1, 2003, a total of 66 separate sales of controlled substances were made by various members of several crews.
The illegal transactions involved large amounts of cocaine, marihuana, steroids and various mood pills -- including ecstasy, ketamine, quaaludes, valium and Vicodin. Other illegal transactions included the purchase of three operable handguns –- a 22 caliber Baretta automatic, a 25 caliber Baretta automatic and a 22 caliber revolver whose serial number had been removed.
The indictment charges that some defendants attempted to conceal the true nature of their transactions by referring to larger-sized Ecstasy tablets as “cookies and cream” while others were warned to use jewelry terms when engaging in conversation about narcotics and controlled substance activities.
It is alleged that the crews sold cocaine for up to $1,200 an ounce, marijuana for up to $3,800 a pound, larger-sized Ecstasy tablets for up to $10, regular-sized Ecstasy tablets for up to $8, Vicodin tablets for up to $5 and vials of ketamine for up to $75.
The alleged leaders of the crews are identified as:
- Marcus Carrasquillo, 26, 88-11 Albert Road, Howard Beach;
- Joseph Dipierro, 20, 162-08 86th Street, Howard Beach;
- Sean Maguire, 22, 158-28 88th Street, Howard Beach;
- Salvatore Nardone, 26, 101-19 159th Avenue, Howard Beach;
- Nazih Nassar, 30, 1708 Woodbine Street, Ridgewood.
Other defendants are identified as:
- Christopher Carneglia, 31, 84-18 163rd Avenue, Howard Beach, a son of a reputed Gambino crime family capo. The younger Carneglia is alleged to have been an enforcer for the Maguire crew.
- Richard Maldone, 40, 665 East Broadway, Long Beach, New York, an actor who plays the role of a crime family capo named “Albert” on the hit cable TV show, “The Sopranos,” a character who reports directly to mob boss Tony Soprano. Maldone is alleged to have bought ketamine, an animal tranquilizer that produces a feeling of euphoria in humans, for his personal use.
- Eileen O’Brien, 25, 104-37 113th Street, Howard Beach, an alleged member of the Nassar crew. O’Brien is alleged to have sold ketamine to Maldone at his home in August, 2002.
An additional 21 defendants are identified as:
William Abruzzino, 20, 137-32 96th Place, Howard Beach;
John Castrovova, 45, 80-16 85th Road, Woodhaven;
John Corona, 29, 89-07 163rd Avenue, Howard Beach;
Salvatore Cucinella, 26, 159-42 84th Street, Howard Beach;
Jason Cuozzo, 27, 101-02 95th Avenue, Howard Beach;
Michael Dzurko, 32, 89-15 164th Avenue, Howard Beach;
Manuel Espinal, 29, 90-21 76th Street, Woodhaven;
Richard Frechette, 19, 137-16 97th Street, Howard Beach;
Bryan Greenberg, 33, 46 Morningside Drive, Westbury;
Michael Grillo, 26, 157-21 98th Street, Howard Beach;
Anthony Marsicano, 34, 3203 Shore Road, Oceanside;
Angelo Moccia, 29, 154-23 79th Street, Howard Beach;
Pasquale Moccia, 33, 154-23 79th Street, Howard Beach;
Vincent Orelano, 25, 90-12 159th Avenue, Howard Beach;
John-Paul Poggio, 22, 160-24 90th Street, Howard Beach;
Frank Rocaforte, 22, 167-27 99th Street, Howard Beach;
Christopher Reynolds, 21, 80-42 90th Road, Howard Beach;
Todd Rosenlicht, 47, 40 McCullogh Drive, Dix Hills;
Brian Segur, 22, 102-06 Remsen Place, Howard Beach;
Robert Tadros, 22, 79-17 153rd Avenue, Howard Beach;
Todd Vulpio, 36, 149-42 84th Street, Howard Beach;
The investigation was conducted by detectives of the NYPD Queens Narcotics Division from Narcotics Borough Queens and Southeast Queens Initiative including Detectives Keith Casey, Ariel Perez and James Schiavone under the supervision Inspector James Secreto, Deputy Inspector Michael W. Waltman, Lieutenants Stephen Collins and William Waters and Sergeant Walter Mann and the overall supervision of Chief of Organized Crime Control William A. Morange.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Philip D. Anderson and Jennifer J. Etkin of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Investigation Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Wilbert J. LeMelle, Chief, Gregory C. Pavlides, Deputy Chief, and Karen J. Friedman, Supervisor, and the overall supervision of Executive District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Assistant District Attorney Linda M. Cantoni, Counsel to the Investigations Division.
It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.