New Haven-based mob boss Eugene 'Rooster' Onofrio sentenced; said he was 'given' Springfield
Stephanie Barry
July 27, 2018
The self-proclaimed Genovese crime family "skipper" of Springfield was sentenced to 30 months in prison for loansharking and other crimes earlier this month.
A federal judge in New York rejected an argument that Eugene "Rooster" Onofrio was simply a senior citizen living a "modest life" and trying to supplement a fixed income by making extortionate loans, accepting "tribute" from gangster underlings and selling untaxed cigarettes.
These were the activities to which Onofrio pleaded guilty on Feb, 28, 2018, in federal court in Manhattan. He was sentenced on July 19.
In a letter to Judge Richard Sullivan, Onofrio said he was bumping along on disability for the last 15 years, until mob turncoat John "JR" Rubeo roped him in during a five-year sting for the FBI.
"In 2013 I met Mr, Rubio (sic) and we spent a considerable amount of time together. During this time he suggested several opportunities for financial gain with me. Given my age and living on such a fixed income I saw this as my last opportunity for financial gain unfortunately took it and made some bad judgement calls," Onofrio, 76, wrote to the judge.
He regrets he didn't stick with his "modest life," he told the judge, making a pitch for a 20-month sentence in home confinement.
Onofrio was among 45 gangsters up and down the East Coast Rubeo managed to snare while wearing a wire on most of them, according to court records. Rubeo was often accompanied by an undercover FBI agent who posed as an old high school buddy.
The agent served as Onofrio's driver for a time, and once shuttled him to a pizza shop in Chicopee, where he arranged for a $30,000 loan with assists from Springfield gangsters Ralph Santaniello and Francesco "Frank" Depergola.
Santaniello and Depergola were among those caught up in the New York-based mafia sting, and also were convicted of extortion in connection with shaking down a city tow company operator in Springfield.
They are serving 60- and 38-month sentences, respectively. Santaniello is serving out his time at a federal penitentiary at Schuykill in Minersville, Pennsylvania. Depergola is serving his sentence at a low-security facility in Fort Dix, New Jersey, according to U.S. Bureau of Prison records.
While Onofrio attempts to paint himself as an old man who was taken advantage of by a younger soldier, he was caught on a 2014 recorded call referring to himself as "the skipper" of Springfield, or the captain of a street crew.
He added that the city "was given to him," although he does not say by whom.
He also notes that he has "four or five guys" in Springfield and intends to sponsor one for formal induction to the Genovese family. He does not name the prospect.
During pretrial bail hearings in the Springfield mob case, an FBI agent testified that Santaniello was up for sponsorship and Depergola was miffed that Santaniello was ahead of him in line, given that Santaniello is significantly younger with less street time.
But at any rate, the books were "closed" for the Genovese family at the time, the agent told a federal magistrate judge. The transcripts of a conversation submitted by prosecutors in advance of Onofrio's sentencing seem to bear that theory out.
Onofrio: "Everything's shut down."
Rubeo: "He doesn't put anyone up."
Onofrio: "Yeah he does."
Rubeo: "Never."
Onofrio: "I do."
Rubeo: "He don't." (apparently referring to Danny Leo, a top Genovese boss)
Onofrio: "I already put a guy up from Springfield, Mass. ... You know, Springfield was given to me."
Rubeo: "Yeah, you told me."
Onofrio: "I got four, five guys up there. One I love to death."
Rubeo: "Why don't you move me up there? Can I make money?"
Onofrio: "I know he is a gangster, I know he's got balls, he's got heart. He, his name is already in. When they open up, I'm definitely putting him in, because I can't travel from New Haven to Springfield all the time."
Onofrio was ordered to begin serving his sentence in September, according to court records.
https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf ... ew_ha.htmlNew Haven-based mob boss Eugene 'Rooster' Onofrio sentenced; said he was 'given' Springfield
Stephanie Barry
July 27, 2018
The self-proclaimed Genovese crime family "skipper" of Springfield was sentenced to 30 months in prison for loansharking and other crimes earlier this month.
A federal judge in New York rejected an argument that Eugene "Rooster" Onofrio was simply a senior citizen living a "modest life" and trying to supplement a fixed income by making extortionate loans, accepting "tribute" from gangster underlings and selling untaxed cigarettes.
These were the activities to which Onofrio pleaded guilty on Feb, 28, 2018, in federal court in Manhattan. He was sentenced on July 19.
In a letter to Judge Richard Sullivan, Onofrio said he was bumping along on disability for the last 15 years, until mob turncoat John "JR" Rubeo roped him in during a five-year sting for the FBI.
"In 2013 I met Mr, Rubio (sic) and we spent a considerable amount of time together. During this time he suggested several opportunities for financial gain with me. Given my age and living on such a fixed income I saw this as my last opportunity for financial gain unfortunately took it and made some bad judgement calls," Onofrio, 76, wrote to the judge.
He regrets he didn't stick with his "modest life," he told the judge, making a pitch for a 20-month sentence in home confinement.
Onofrio was among 45 gangsters up and down the East Coast Rubeo managed to snare while wearing a wire on most of them, according to court records. Rubeo was often accompanied by an undercover FBI agent who posed as an old high school buddy.
The agent served as Onofrio's driver for a time, and once shuttled him to a pizza shop in Chicopee, where he arranged for a $30,000 loan with assists from Springfield gangsters Ralph Santaniello and Francesco "Frank" Depergola.
Santaniello and Depergola were among those caught up in the New York-based mafia sting, and also were convicted of extortion in connection with shaking down a city tow company operator in Springfield.
They are serving 60- and 38-month sentences, respectively. Santaniello is serving out his time at a federal penitentiary at Schuykill in Minersville, Pennsylvania. Depergola is serving his sentence at a low-security facility in Fort Dix, New Jersey, according to U.S. Bureau of Prison records.
While Onofrio attempts to paint himself as an old man who was taken advantage of by a younger soldier, he was caught on a 2014 recorded call referring to himself as "the skipper" of Springfield, or the captain of a street crew.
He added that the city "was given to him," although he does not say by whom.
He also notes that he has "four or five guys" in Springfield and intends to sponsor one for formal induction to the Genovese family. He does not name the prospect.
During pretrial bail hearings in the Springfield mob case, an FBI agent testified that Santaniello was up for sponsorship and Depergola was miffed that Santaniello was ahead of him in line, given that Santaniello is significantly younger with less street time.
But at any rate, the books were "closed" for the Genovese family at the time, the agent told a federal magistrate judge. The transcripts of a conversation submitted by prosecutors in advance of Onofrio's sentencing seem to bear that theory out.
Onofrio: "Everything's shut down."
Rubeo: "He doesn't put anyone up."
Onofrio: "Yeah he does."
Rubeo: "Never."
Onofrio: "I do."
Rubeo: "He don't." (apparently referring to Danny Leo, a top Genovese boss)
Onofrio: "I already put a guy up from Springfield, Mass. ... You know, Springfield was given to me."
Rubeo: "Yeah, you told me."
Onofrio: "I got four, five guys up there. One I love to death."
Rubeo: "Why don't you move me up there? Can I make money?"
Onofrio: "I know he is a gangster, I know he's got balls, he's got heart. He, his name is already in. When they open up, I'm definitely putting him in, because I can't travel from New Haven to Springfield all the time."
Onofrio was ordered to begin serving his sentence in September, according to court records.
https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/07/federal_judge_sentences_new_ha.html