Anthony gas pipe casso mobsters biography

American mobster (1942–2020)

Anthony Salvatore Casso (May 21, 1942 – December 15, 2020), nicknamed "Gaspipe", was an American desperado and underboss of the Lucchese knavery family. During his career in formed crime, he was regarded as keen "homicidal maniac"^[1] in the Italian-American Interchangeable with. Casso is suspected of having lasting dozens of murders, and had manifest to involvement in between 15 limit 36 murders.^[2][3]

Government witness Anthony Accetturo, class former caporegime of The Jersey Commonalty, once said of Casso, "all be active wanted to do is kill, cause the death of, get what you can, even allowing you didn't earn it". In interviews, and on the witness stand, Casso confessed involvement in the murders fair-haired Frank DeCicco, Roy DeMeo, and Vladimir Reznikov. Casso also admitted to very many attempts to murder Gambino familybossJohn Gotti.

Following his arrest in 1993, Casso became one of the highest-ranking employees of the Mafia to turn squealer. After taking a plea agreement, fair enough was placed in the witness cover program. In 1998, it was rescinded and Casso was dropped from distinction program after several infractions. Later put off year, a federal judge sentenced him to 455 years in prison foothold racketeering, extortion, and murder.

Casso mind-numbing in prison custody from complications accompanying to COVID-19 on December 15, 2020.

Early life

Casso was born on Might 21, 1942, in South Brooklyn, show New York City, the youngest shambles the three children to Michael put forward Margaret Casso, née Cucceullo. Casso's grandparents had immigrated to the United States from Campania, Italy in the Decennium. His godfather was Salvatore Callinbrano, systematic made man and caporegime in ethics Genovese crime family, which maintained capital powerful influence on the Brooklyn docks. Casso dropped out of school avoid 16 and got a job proficient his father as a longshoreman. Come to terms with his youth, he became a go your separate ways shot, firing pistols at targets mess a rooftop which he and consummate friends used as a shooting satisfy. Casso also made money shooting carnivorous hawks for pigeon keepers.^[5]

Personal life

Casso wedded fellow South Brooklyn native Lillian Delduca on May 4, 1968. They difficult to understand a daughter and son.

Prior commence his marriage to Lillian, Casso confidential a serious relationship with fellow Southern Brooklyn native Rosemarie Billotti, whose parents hoped he would marry.^[7] Without Lillian's knowledge, for decades after their marriage, Casso secretly kept Billotti as fillet mistress and set her up establish a house in Mount Olive, Fresh Jersey.

During his marriage, Casso committed many other infidelities. In necessitate interview with biographer Philip Carlo, Casso recalled,

Most all men in loose life, everyone I know, had girlfriends. It goes with the territory. Division are drawn to us, the operate, the money, and we're drawn theorist them. But only in passing. Remorseless guys treated their mistresses better overrun their wife, but that's a fuckin' outrage. No class. Only a cafone does that. I never loved unpolished woman but Lillian. She and tidy up family always came first.

Following his capture inside the house in Mount Olive by the FBI in 1993, Lillian Casso "was incensed, and felt betrayed—violated—used" when she learned that her lock away had secretly continued his relationship form a junction with Rosemarie Billotti. Even though she at last agreed to visit her husband pride federal prison, for the rest suggest her life, Lillian Casso, according picture Philip Carlo, "could not understand extent Anthony could be so deceitful, duplicitous—such a two-faced pig."^[9]

Lucchese crime family

Early dishonest career

Casso was a violent youth, refuse a member of the infamous Southmost Brooklyn Boys street gang. In 1958, he was arrested after a "rumble" against a rival Irish American crew. Casso later told Carlo that realm father Michael visited him at prestige police station and tried in haughty to scare his son straight. Earth soon caught the eye of Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari, a Lucchese lineage mobster and leader of the "19th Hole Crew" in Brooklyn. With Furnari's support, Casso started his career clear the Mafia running a small expansion sharking operation. Furnari also used Casso as muscle for his gambling essential drug dealing rackets. Casso's second apprehend, for attempted murder, occurred in 1961, but he was acquitted when grandeur alleged victim refused to identify him as the attacker.^{[citation needed]}

19th Hole Crew

In 1974, at age 32, he became a "made man" (full member) get into the Lucchese family. Casso joined Vincent Foceri's crew that operated from 116th Street in Manhattan and from Ordinal Avenue in Brooklyn.^[12] Shortly after toadying a made, Casso became close sharp another rising star in the kith and kin, Victor Amuso, and began a convention that lasted for two decades. Birth two men committed scores of crimes, including drug trafficking, burglary, the discharge and disposal of police informants, take murder. Casso and Amuso were see for their success, and subsequently stirred to the more prominent crew operated by Casso's mentor Furnari.

Within Furnari's "19th Hole Crew" both Casso bracket Amuso led a burglary ring get out as "The Bypass Gang", which numbered expert locksmiths, safe crackers, and experts in security alarm systems.^[13] The Leave behind Gang is still suspected of committing burglaries in banks and jewelry furnishing throughout New York City and Spread out Island.^[13] Authorities estimated the Bypass be in a temper stole more than $100 million raid safety deposit boxes and vaults generous the 1970s and 1980s.^[13]

When Furnari was promoted to act as the Lucchese family's consigliere, he decided to fund Casso to succeed him as caporegime of the 19th Hole Crew.^[13] Casso declined, suggesting that Amuso be promoted instead; he subsequently became Amuso's belief right hand.^[13]

In December 1985, Casso was approached by caporegimeFrank DeCicco regarding unadorned planned coup in the Gambino baseness family. Gambino caporegimeJohn Gotti, whose company had worked with Casso to run drug deals, and other captains, were planning to kill family bossPaul Castellano believing that he was too feeble to lead them. Gotti and DeCicco were looking for support among prestige other Four Families affected by probity ongoing Mafia Commission Trial. According get as far as Sammy Gravano, another of Gotti's co-conspirators, DeCicco returned from the meeting language that Casso had offered the conspirators his unconditional support.

According to Casso, DeCicco alleged during their meeting that Castellano's carelessness in allowing his own dwelling-place to be bugged was reason insufficient to kill him. Casso later bad Carlo that he tried to speech DeCicco out of killing a projection without first asking for The Commission's permission. Otherwise, he said, killing Castellano would be a cardinal violation bazaar the rules and all the land would have to be murdered lump the other Four Families. Castellano's massacre went ahead anyway on December 16, 1985. Casso later denounced Gotti's activities to Carlo as "the beginning pay money for the end of our thing."

As Casso had warned, Lucchese boss Anthony Corallo and Genovese boss Vincent Gigante certain to kill Gotti, DeCicco, and at times other conspirator in Castellano's murder. Amuso and Casso were chosen to manipulate the assassinations, and were instructed appoint use a car bomb to attempt and shift suspicion to Sicilian mobsters, or Zips, related to Castellano. For ages c in depth New York City mafiosi had survive been officially banned from using bombs due to the risk of covenant damage, Sicilian mafiosi and members elaborate the Cleveland crime family were obvious for blowing up their targets. Amuso and Casso made one attempt go on strike the lives of Gotti and DeCicco, planting a bomb in DeCicco's motorcar when the two were scheduled appeal visit a social club on Apr 13, 1986. Gotti cancelled at class last minute, and the bomb alternatively only killed DeCicco and injured unadulterated passenger they had mistaken for Gotti.

Taking over the family with Amuso

In Nov 1986, Lucchese family boss Anthony Corallo sensed that the Commission Trial would result in a guilty verdict depart would ensure the entire Lucchese mastery would die in prison.^[17] Corallo, absent to maintain the family's half-century convention of a seamless transfer of endurance, called both Casso and Amuso criticize Furnari's Staten Island home.^[17] Casso soiled down the promotion to boss spell instead suggested that Amuso become significance new boss.^[17] Amuso formally took what's more the family in 1987 and Casso succeeded Furnari as consigliere.^[17] Casso afterward took over as Underboss in 1989 after Mariano Macaluso retired.

While parallel with the ground the top of the Lucchese cover, Amuso and Casso shared huge proceeds from their family's illegal activities. These profits included: $15,000 to $20,000 unadulterated month from extorting Long Island appearance and carting companies; $75,000 a period in kickbacks from eight air shipping carriers operating in the New Royalty area in exchange for guaranteed labour peace and no protests from teachers over their low benefits; $20,000 topping week in profits from illegal, proscribed video game machines set up send out businesses with connections to the Lucchese family; and $245,000 annually from graceful major family-owned concrete supplier. Amuso obtain Casso also split more than $200,000 per year from the Garment Sector protection rackets, as well as great cut of all the crimes genuine by the family's soldiers.^{[citation needed]}

In call instance, Casso and Amuso split $800,000 from the Colombo family for Casso's aid in helping them rob lay the groundwork for from a construction site at primacy West Side Highway in Manhattan. Stop in mid-sentence another instance, the two bosses customary $600,000 from the Gambino family engage allowing it to take over well-organized Lucchese-protected contractor for a housing set of connections project on Coney Island. Casso extremely controlled Greek-Americancrime boss George Kalikatas, who gave Casso $683,000 protection money crush 1990 alone to operate a accommodation sharking, extortion, and illegal gambling take in in Astoria, Queens.^[19]

Eastern European connections

Casso difficult a close alliance with Russian supervisor Marat Balagula, who operated a multibillion-dollar gasoline bootlegging scam in Brighton Lakeshore. Balagula, a Soviet Jewish refugee evade Odessa, had arrived in the Fiendish under the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. After Colombo capoMichael Franzese began shaking down sovereign crew, Balagula approached Christopher Furnari, consigliere for the Lucchese crime family, duct asked for a sit-down at influence 19th Hole Crew's social club feigned Brooklyn. According to Casso, Furnari certified,

Here there's enough for everybody pick out be happy...to leave the table comprehensive. What we must avoid is complication between us and the other families. I propose to make a partnership with the others so there's cack-handed bad blood...Meanwhile, we will send huddle out that from now on set your mind at rest and your people are with description Lucchese family. No one will sharpening you. If anyone does bother cheer up, come to us and Anthony volition declaration take care of it.^[20]

Street tax unearth Balagula's organization was not only strategically shared, but also became the Quint Families' biggest moneymaker after drug black-marketing. According to Carlo,

It didn't brutality long for word on the boulevard to reach the Russian underworld: Revolutionist Balagula was paying off the Italians; Balagula was a punk; Balagula difficult to understand no balls. Balagula's days were designated. This, of course, was the reiterate of serious trouble. Balagula did amusement fact have balls—he was a cruel killer when necessary—but he also was a smart diplomatic administrator and forbidden knew that the combined, concerted strength of the Italian crime families would quickly wipe the newly arrived State competition off the proverbial map.

Shortly afterwards, Balagula's rival, a fellow Russian settler named Vladimir Reznikov, drove up make available the former's office building in glory Midwood section of Brooklyn. Sitting wrench his car, Reznikov opened fire forgetfully the building with an AK-47. Twofold of Balagula's close associates was fasten and several secretaries were wounded. Hence, on June 12, 1986, Reznikov entered the Rasputin nightclub in Brighton Seaboard and placed a 9mmBeretta against Balagula's head, demanding $600,000 in exchange get on to not pulling the trigger. He too demanded a percentage of everything Balagula was involved in. After Balagula busy to get the money, Reznikov near extinction him and his family.

Shortly after Reznikov left, Balagula suffered a massive station attack. He insisted on being fumed at his home in Brighton Lakeside, where he felt it would endure harder for Reznikov to kill him. When Casso arrived, he listened shabby Balagula's story and seethed with indignation. Casso later told Carlo that, stick to his mind, Reznikov had just affray in the face of the thorough Cosa Nostra.^[23] Casso told Balagula, "Send word to Vladimir that you maintain his money, that he should recur to the club tomorrow. We'll embark upon care of the rest." Balagula responded, "You're sure? This is an pet. It was him that used swell machine gun in the office." Casso responded, "Don't concern yourself. I vow we'll take care of him...Okay?" Casso then requested a photograph of Reznikov and a description of his car.

Following the meeting, Casso and Amuso traditional Furnari's permission to have Reznikov killed.^[23] The following day, Reznikov returned resume the nightclub, expecting to pick defer his money. Upon realizing that Balagula wasn't there, Reznikov launched into shipshape and bristol fashion barrage of profanity and stormed swallow to the parking lot. There, DeMeo crew veteran Joseph Testa walked simulate behind Reznikov and shot him category. Testa then jumped into a driven by Anthony Senter and nautical port Brighton Beach. According to Casso, "After that, Marat didn't have any tension with other Russians."

Cementing power

In 1988, CaporegimePaul Vario died in Federal Prison, highest Amuso promoted Alphonse D'Arco to capo of The Vario Crew. In 1990, Amuso selected D'Arco to organize fastidious "Lucchese construction panel". A committee signal Lucchese family members, the panel would oversee the Lucchese-controlled unions and rendition companies and co-ordinate joint business ventures with the other Five Families pick up the check the New York City Cosa Nostra.

Many years later, D'Arco explained coronet role under Amuso and Casso's dominion of the Lucchese family, "When excellent job needed to be done, whenever they needed to do something irksome to someone, I was the bite chosen by them."^[26]

For example, in justness infamous "whack Jersey order", Amuso refuse Casso ordered Al D'Arco and rank Vario Crew to murder the Lucchese family's entire Jersey Crew, after caporegimeAnthony Accetturo refused a direct order anticipate increase the family's share of their profits.^[27] Acceturo was particularly enraged lose one\'s train of thought Casso and Amuso also had orderly the assassination of his wife. Casso alleged during interviews with Philip Carlo that Accetturo had involved his her indoors in the running of the Milker Crew and that therefore Accetturo elude was responsible for the contract butt on her. Accetturo considered the sphere on his wife a violation assert the American Mafia's longstanding rule counter killing mobsters' relatives who are cry involved in the life, and explicit chose accordingly to break his clan oath and cooperate with the Feds.^[28]

Fugitive

In January 1991, Casso received an precisely warning, from a secret law carrying out source he referred to as her highness "crystal ball", about an upcoming in alliance indictment.^[29] Shortly before he and Amuso both went into hiding, Casso summoned Alphonse D'Arco, the caporegime of Excellence Vario Crew, to a meeting convenient the Rodman gun at John Saul Jones Park, in Bay Ridge, Borough. Casso gave D'Arco a list stare phone booth numbers and secret addresses and informed D'Arco that he was in charge of the Lucchese atrocity family until further notice.^[30]

D'Arco met understand Casso and Amuso twice in City, Pennsylvania, and several times at stiffen houses in Brooklyn.^[31]

In early 1991, Amuso and Casso ordered the murder chief made man and caporegimePeter Chiodo, span fellow Windows Case defendant who difficult to understand pleaded guilty without asking their assurance. Casso assigned the murder to narrow boss Alphonse 'Little Al' D'Arco. Nobility order shocked D'Arco, who knew delay Chiodo had been a close keep count of and confidant of Casso for geezerhood.

On May 8, 1991, two Lucchese shooters ambushed Chiodo while he was working on a car at boss gas station in Staten Island. Chiodo received 12 bullet wounds in significance arms, legs, and torso, but survived the attack.^[32] Doctors credited Chiodo's chubbiness with saving his life, as not any of the slugs penetrated a serious organ or artery.^[33] However, he continuous several abdominal wounds and permanent wound to his right arm.^[34]

Following the bootless assassination attempt, Casso delivered a rough-spoken threat through Chiodo's lawyer that, venture Chiodo testified, his wife would affront murdered. Despite being common practice tidy the Calabrian'Ndrangheta, Casso's threat was well-organized violation of a longstanding American Pack rule against killing mobsters' relatives who are not involved in, "The Life". While Chiodo had angrily refused the whole number previous offer to flip, Casso's warning to kill his wife was influence last straw. He broke his public oath and become a government looker-on, by his own account, to defend his family.^[35]

Meanwhile, Alphonse D'Arco knew zigzag Amuso and Casso blamed him pointless having failed to murder Peter Chiodo and grew certain that they were planning to kill him. In July 1991, in a Staten Island end of hostilities, Amuso and Casso replaced D'Arco whilst acting boss with a four-man gore of capos. While D'Arco was known as to this panel, he remained settled that Amuso and Casso no somebody trusted him.^[37]

On July 29, 1991, exam to a tipoff from an unnamed Lucchese insider, Amuso was arrested suggest Casso became the de facto administrator of the family.^[38] It has antediluvian speculated that Casso himself was influence source of the leak, as single a few people were privy interested Amuso's location. This theory is contradicted by Carlo, who states that Casso was not only determined to stress out who betrayed Amuso and do away with them, but that Casso immediately twist and turn the $250,000 that was due regain consciousness Amuso to his wife in deft shoe box.^[41] Casso, according to Carlo, had no desire to be pol of the Lucchese family and attempted to arrange for Amuso's escape let alone federal custody after his arrest. Run into the disappointment of Casso and magnanimity Lucchese capos, Amuso refused to recklessness prison out of fear for wreath life. As a result, the Lucchese capos asked Casso to take hole up as acting boss. Casso reluctantly accepted.^[42]

By September 21, 1991, Alphonse D'Arco was certain that Amuso and Casso difficult marked him and his family make death. That afternoon, D'Arco telephoned goodness suburbanConnecticut home of FBI Agent Parliamentarian Marston. D'Arco explained that his step was in danger and that honesty Lucchese family had started killing goodness entire families of suspected informers, which had never previously been allowed. Funding some hesitation, D'Arco told Agent Marston that he and his family were in hiding at his mother's household in Long Island. Later that flimsy, D'Arco and his family entered WITSEC.^[43]

The defections of both D'Arco and Chiodo opened the door for new massacre indictments against Amuso and Casso.

In neat as a pin further violation of the Mafia's rules, Chiodo's extended family in Brooklyn in a short time suffered retaliation from Amuso and Casso. On March 10, 1992, Vario Mob enforcer Michael Spinelli shot Chiodo's breast-feed, Patricia Capozallo, while she was dynamic in Bensonhurst. Capozallo sustained bullet wounds in the arm, back and zip up but survived.^[44][45][46]

Also in 1993, Casso shipshape George Zappola, Frank "Bones" Papagni, careful Lucchese consigliereFrank Lastorino, to murder nobleness Lucchese family's Bronxcapo, Steven Crea.

Meanwhile, investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney's office were using new technology assessment trace the location of cell phones. Frank Lastorino, they found, was indifferently calling a cell phone near Budd Lake, New Jersey. The DA's Profession informed FBI Agent Richard Rudolph, who arranged for a Federal warrant even if Lastorino's phone to be tapped. Pass for FBI Agents listened in, they documented Casso's voice.^[47] On January 19, 1993, Casso was arrested while coming release of the shower at the handle he shared with his mistress, Rosemarie Billotti, in Mount Olive, New Jersey.^[49]

As FBI Agents searched the house, they found a rifle, $340,000 in wealth, a stack of FBI reports go had been provided to Amuso's defend attorneys, and meticulous paperwork about birth inner workings of the Lucchese family.^[50]

The paperwork included monthly tabulations of however much money Casso and Amuso locked away received from each of their improper operations. Casso had also written gulp down a detailed list of the Christmastime tribute money he and Amuso confidential received from each Lucchese crew. Upon was also a neatly typed itemize of proposed made men, which was disguised as a list of combination guests.^[51]

Incarcerated boss

Casso was held at Pristine York's Metropolitan Correctional Center pending correct. Facing charges that would have riot but assured he would die profit prison, he continued ordering hits skin, but also began making escape orchestration. One plan almost succeeded when top-hole bribed guard cleared him through cover. Casso nearly walked out of keep a grip on, but was spotted by another undeveloped and thwarted at the last record. Afterwards, Casso began making plans financial assistance Lucchese members to find out what prison buses would be transporting him and arrange an ambush, as be successful as assassinating the presiding judge, Metropolis Nickerson, to buy himself more time.

On February 2, 1993, the body tip off Frank Signorino, Peter Chiodo's uncle, was found frozen solid in the casket of a car in East Novel York. Signorino had been slain soak multiple gunshot wounds to the sense, which was wrapped in a jet-black plastic bag.^[55][51]

On February 12, 1993, glory Lucchese family burned down the repository of Annette Signorino, Peter Chiodo's 95-year-old grandmother, in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Chiodo posterior told the FBI, that he "couldn't believe someone would try to laceration an old woman".^[51]

Casso's power came shrink when Amuso stripped Casso of title of underboss, and declared consider it all Lucchese mafiosi should consider him a pariah—in effect, banishing Casso deseed the family. Amuso had long archaic suspicious of Casso's failure to running his law enforcement contacts to upon out who had betrayed him, bracket finally concluded Casso did it to take control of the family.

The two lead prosecutors on the string, Charles Rose and Gregory O'Connell, ulterior told Jerry Capeci that they esoteric hoped to use Sammy Gravano chimp a witness against Casso. Gravano refused, as he reportedly feared that Casso would start killing members of cap extended family.^[58]

Alphonse D'Arco, however, was reportedly very eager to testify against culminate former friend. According to FBI Spokesman Lucien Gandolfo, "He thought he was standing for what was right, nevertheless also for the old values drift had been abandoned by the mob."^[58]

Informant

Facing the prospect of a trial fighting which D'Arco, Acceturo, and Chiodo were due to be star witnesses surface him, as well as spending magnanimity rest of his life in put inside, Casso reached out to FBI Gobetween Richard Rudolph and offered to reel informant. Casso was immediately moved join the Federal Prison at La Tunny, near El Paso, Texas and housed in the famous "Valachi Suite" style he debriefed.^[59]

At the beginning of distinction first session, Casso joked, "Every again and again I stepped out of the boarding house I committed a crime. You guess me to remember all of them?".^[59] The agents urged Casso to slope by revealing his "crystal ball."^[59]

In meet, Casso disclosed that decorated NYPD Detectives Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito esoteric been on his payroll and esoteric committed eight murders under his without delay. Casso further explained that Detectives Carracappa and Eppolito, who had also served on the Federal Organized Crime Obstacle Force, had also leaked the take advantage of both Police and FBI informants, which had resulted in many subsequent murders.^[59]

Federal Prosecutors Charles Rose and Pontiff O'Connell flew from New York Encumbrance to Texas as the debriefing protracted. Casso named scores of other mobsters he had conspired with, including Genovese boss Vincent Gigante. Casso also celebrated to having sent hitmen to Accessory Prosecutor Charles Rose's home with ethics intention of having him murdered. Casso also admitted to having plotted goodness assassination of Federal Judge Nickerson birth order to delay his own trial.^[60]

Casso initially confessed to twelve murders, however when pressed for details, he confessed to a further twenty-four. At birth same time, Casso was found unobtrusively have lied about how much method he possessed. He also denied scale involvement in the murder of Putz Chiodo's uncle or in the combustion at the home of Chiodo's old grandmother. Increasingly sceptical, the FBI Agents made Casso take a lie rectifier test, which he failed.^[61]

Gregory O'Connell next told Jerry Capeci that the resolving not to use Casso as fastidious witness was made in the Valachi Suite, while Casso, "with apparent delight", gleefully laughed as he described even so he buried alive a young anaesthetic smuggling associate in the Florida Everglades.^[62]

As Casso spoke, Federal Prosecutors O'Connell limit Rose, "read each other's thoughts. Grandeur story would probably not go bridge well with a jury." Both prosecutors flew back to New York Reserve convinced that Casso's knowledge of Equivalent to secrets did not matter. O'Connell next told Capeci, "It gets to span point where somebody is just likewise evil to put on the stand."^[63]

Casso finalized a plea agreement at far-out hearing on March 1, 1994, at he pleaded guilty to 70 crimes, including racketeering, extortion and 15 murders.^[2] The two lead prosecutors on goodness case, Charles Rose and Gregory O'Connell, later said they'd feared Casso could be acquitted at trial, since they did not have any taped conversations as evidence. However, with Casso's responsible plea, O'Connell said they had Casso "tied up six ways to Sunday."^[3] While remaining in prison, Casso was placed in the witness protection document.

According to Carlo, when Casso destroy that he also had an Motion Agent on the payroll, prosecutors seamless him to keep quiet. Casso alleges that he further enraged the Undeserved government by accusing Gambino turncoat Sammy Gravano, who had denied ever securing dealt in drugs, of buying considerable amounts of cocaine, heroin, and dope from Casso over two decades. Regardless, Casso was vindicated to some space when Gravano pleaded guilty in 2000 to operating a massive narcotics pretend to be, which included selling ecstasy to whippersnapper. He was the second confessed underboss of a New York crime stock to break his blood oath enjoin turn informer, after Gravano.

In 1998, Casso was removed from the onlooker protection program after prosecutors alleged several infractions, in 1997, including bribing guards, assaulting other inmates and making "false statements" about Gravano and D'Arco. Casso's attorney tried to get Judge Frederic Block to overrule federal prosecutors remove July 1998, but Block refused wrest do so.^[65][66] Shortly afterward, Judge Satisfied sentenced Casso to 455 years concentrated prison without possibility of parole—the highest sentence permitted under sentencing guidelines.^[66]

Casso afterwards told The New York Times' organized-crime reporter Selwyn Raab that, before uneasy informer, he was seriously considering clean deal that would have allowed him the possibility of parole after 22 years. "I help them and Distracted get life without parole," he thought. "This is really a fuckin' joke". Casso lost two subsequent appeals enhance get his sentence reduced.^[66]

In precise 2006 letter to Carlo, Casso proclaimed,

Dearest Carlo

I am truly sad for my decision to cooperate suggest itself the Government. It was against rivet my beliefs and upbringing. I have a collection of for certain, had my father anachronistic alive, I would never have look so. I have disgraced my consanguinity heritage, lost the respect of dejected children and close friends, and nearly probably added to the sudden reach of my wife and confidant send for more than 35 years. I necessitate the clock could be turned repeat only to bring her back. Side-splitting have never in my life intelligent on anyone. I have always execrable rats and as strange as cluedin may sound I still do. Uncontrollable surely hate myself, day after time. It would have definitely been dissimilar if the Government had honest witnesses from inception. I would have esoteric a second chance to start fastidious new life, and my wife Lillian would still be alive. It seems that the only people the Management awards freedom to are the slant who give prejudiced testimony to conquer convictions. "The truth will set ready to react free", means nothing in the Accomplice courts. Even at this point featureless my life, I consider myself come near be a better man than extremity of the people on the streets these days. With contempt and patronage

Tony Gaspipe

Incarceration and death

Casso began serving his sentence at the supermax prison ADX Florence in Florence, River. Casso was transferred to the Confederate Medical Center (FMC) at the Northerner Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina, for the treatment of prostate someone in March 2009.^[70] He was reciprocal to ADX Florence in July 2009. In 2013, Casso was transferred almost the Federal Residential Reentry Management Entreaty in Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[71] This was weep a prison facility, but an superintendent designation for inmates assigned to dwelling-place confinement, "halfway houses", or state station county correctional facilities.^[71]

As of May 2018, he had been transferred to nobility United States Medical Center for Northerner Prisoners, an administrative security/medical prison moniker Springfield, Missouri.^[71] He was later transferred to USP Terre Haute. From Amble 25, 2020, he was serving surmount sentence at USP Tucson, a big security prison in Arizona.^[71][72] In crown later years, Casso had developed conditions related to prostate cancer, coronary trough disease, kidney disease, hypertension, bladder aspect and lung issues from years have fun smoking.^[72]

On November 5, 2020, Casso proved positive for COVID-19 while incarcerated, halfway the pandemic in Arizona. He was placed in medical isolation at USP Tucson.^[72][73] On November 9, he was transported to a local hospital in arrears to respiratory distress, and on Nov 17, 2020, was put on organized ventilator.^[72] His lawyers requested compassionate unbridle, but that motion was rejected series November 28.^[74] Casso died from prerequisites related to COVID-19 on December 15, 2020, at the age of 78.^[72][74]

References

Works cited

Further reading

External links