by The Greek » Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:50 pm
An ailing Colombo capo who claims he has less than a year to live was sentenced Friday to 33 months in the slammer by a fed-up federal judge who also gave crime boss John Gotti life in prison.
Judge Leo Glasser said he expects that Luca DiMatteo is going to think he has done a terrible thing by packing the 71-year-old gangster off to prison instead of giving him home detention.
"You've done it to yourself," the 92-year-old judge reminded DiMatteo.
"Sometimes the exercise of mercy ends up cheating justice," Glasser continued. "I have an obligation to society that put me here, as well."
Glasser noted that the wiseguy had received 57 months in prison in 2004 for racketeering, then went back to extortion, loansharking and illegal gambling within months of his freedom.
"I know what the (mafia) life is and what hold it has on the people that are members of it," Glasser said, adding that he has previously sentenced the bosses of the Gambino (Gotti), Genovese (Vincent the Chin Gigante), and DeCavalcante (John Riggi) crime families.
DiMatteo is suffering from cancer and congestive heart failure, and his treating physician predicts that he will die within a year "under the best of circumstances," defense lawyer Flora Edwards argued.
But Assistant Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Allon Lifshitz shot back that DiMatteo's health problems didn't stop him from committing crimes - even collecting shakedown payments himself right after receivng his cancer treatment.
DiMatteo's work history started with a job at the mob-controlled Fulton Fish Market in the 1960s. Then he owned a pork store in the 1970s. He has been unemployed and collecting Social Security disability payments since 1981.
DiMatteo declined to make a statement in Brooklyn Federal Court. The judge agreed to release him under home confinement so he can self-surrender at a prison hospital.
An ailing Colombo capo who claims he has less than a year to live was sentenced Friday to 33 months in the slammer by a fed-up federal judge who also gave crime boss John Gotti life in prison.
Judge Leo Glasser said he expects that Luca DiMatteo is going to think he has done a terrible thing by packing the 71-year-old gangster off to prison instead of giving him home detention.
"You've done it to yourself," the 92-year-old judge reminded DiMatteo.
"Sometimes the exercise of mercy ends up cheating justice," Glasser continued. "I have an obligation to society that put me here, as well."
Glasser noted that the wiseguy had received 57 months in prison in 2004 for racketeering, then went back to extortion, loansharking and illegal gambling within months of his freedom.
"I know what the (mafia) life is and what hold it has on the people that are members of it," Glasser said, adding that he has previously sentenced the bosses of the Gambino (Gotti), Genovese (Vincent the Chin Gigante), and DeCavalcante (John Riggi) crime families.
DiMatteo is suffering from cancer and congestive heart failure, and his treating physician predicts that he will die within a year "under the best of circumstances," defense lawyer Flora Edwards argued.
But Assistant Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Allon Lifshitz shot back that DiMatteo's health problems didn't stop him from committing crimes - even collecting shakedown payments himself right after receivng his cancer treatment.
DiMatteo's work history started with a job at the mob-controlled Fulton Fish Market in the 1960s. Then he owned a pork store in the 1970s. He has been unemployed and collecting Social Security disability payments since 1981.
DiMatteo declined to make a statement in Brooklyn Federal Court. The judge agreed to release him under home confinement so he can self-surrender at a prison hospital.