Reputed Lucchese family mobster Vincent Bruno faces up to 15 years behind bars after pleading guilty to murder in aid of a racketeering conspiracy.
The 34-year-old wiseguy was among 19 alleged mobsters and associates arrested in a 2017 investigation targeting the Lucchese crime family. The mafia sweep also netted the feds the New York Mafia families acting boss Matthew Madonna and underboss Steven Crea Sr. among other high ranking members. According to prosecutors, Bruno was part of a murder plot that targeted a member of the Bonanno crime family.
Prosecutors allege a dispute between the Lucchese family and Bonanno family members at a Bronx social club led to the 2012 murder plot. They claim that the elder Crea ordered his son and crime family captain Steven Crea Jr. to whack a mafia associate he felt had offended him. Crea Jr then passed the order on to fellow mobster Paul “Paulie Roast Beef” Cassano. He and Bruno attempted to locate the associate in question to whack him but failed. The crime families would eventually settle the dispute before the hit could be carried out.
Since the indictments against the Lucchese family has been unsealed ten of the nineteen defendants have pled guilty. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said “Bruno’s attempt to murder a man at the behest of his mob superiors has ended where it should: With Bruno behind bars. We will continue to work with the FBI and our other partners in law enforcement to stamp out the remnants of Cosa Nostra.” Both Crea Sr. and Jr. have been charged with murder along with other crimes and are scheduled to go to trial in 2019.
The Lucchese family trial will likely be one of the biggest mafia trials of the year to hit White Plains Federal Court. According to previous a report, two notable mob turncoats Anthony Zoccolillo and Peter (Petey B.S) Lovaglio are set to take the stand and testify against the NY Mafia wiseguys.
