New Charges Against NY Crime Family

(NEW YORK, NY) – Manhattan U.S. Attorney Files Additional Charges Against Former Acting Boss of Genovese Organized Crime Family and Four Others
Allegations Involve 2003 Murder of Individual Whose Body was Found in Massachusetts in April 2010

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging three additional individuals for their involvement in the alleged racketeering, murder, and other criminal activities of the Genovese Organized Crime Family.

FELIX TRANGHESE and TY GEAS were arrested this morning in Springfield, Massachusetts. EMILIO FUSCO remains at large. Defendants ARTHUR NIGRO, the alleged former acting boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, and FOTIOS GEAS, an alleged family associate—who were incarcerated on other charges when the underlying indictments in this case were unsealed—were previously transferred to the Southern District of New York for prosecution.

An underlying indictment in this case previously charged NIGRO and FOTIOS GEAS with racketeering and the 2003 murder of ADOLFO BRUNO, among other crimes. The superseding indictment unsealed today charges TRANGHESE, an alleged capo; FUSCO, an alleged made member; and TY GEAS, an alleged associate, each of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, with racketeering and participating in the same murder.

In addition, FUSCO, FOTIOS GEAS, and TY GEAS, are charged with the November 4, 2003, murder of GARY WESTERMAN, whose body was uncovered in Agawam, Massachusetts, in a coordinated search by the FBI and the Massachusetts State Police in April 2010. NIGRO, FOTIOS GEAS, and TY GEAS, are also charged with the May 19, 2003 attempted murder of FRANK DADABO, and with conspiring to murder LOUIS SANTOS in Fall 2003.

According to anindictment unsealed earlier today in Manhattan Federal Court:

In their capacities within and associated with the Genovese Organized Crime Family, NIGRO, TRANGHESE, FUSCO, FOTIOS GEAS, and TY GEAS conspired to murder and aided and abetted in the November 2003 murder of ADOLFO BRUNO, to maintain and increase their position in the Genovese Organized Crime Family as well as to prevent BRUNO from providing information to law enforcement about crimes committed by members and associates of the Genovese Organized Crime Family.

Similarly, FUSCO, FOTIOS GEAS, and TY GEAS conspired to murder and murdered GARY WESTERMAN on November 4, 2003, to maintain and increase their position in the Genovese Organized Crime Family as well as to prevent WESTERMAN from providing information to law enforcement about crimes committed by members and associates of the Genovese Organized Crime Family.

A conference in this case is scheduled before United States District Judge P. KEVIN CASTEL on July 26, 2010, at 11:00 a.m.

Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the Joint Organized Crime Task Force—including agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives of the New York City Police Department. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, and the Massachusetts State Police for their valued assistance in the investigation.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “For years, the Genovese Organized Crime Family allegedly has terrorized the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, with a series of violent crimes. It has been nearly seven years since Adolfo Bruno was murdered on a city street in Springfield and Gary Westerman was murdered and buried in the woods in Agawam. Today, through the tireless and coordinated efforts of numerous law enforcement agencies, the defendants stand accused of an array of racketeering and murder charges that stretched far beyond Springfield.”

This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney MARK LANPHER is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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