Cheryl Makin
NEWARK – Three former
longshoremen acted more like the Grinch than Santa when they conspired with the
mob to extort Christmastime tribute payments from fellow port workers with the
International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1235.
The three admitted roles in the
holiday scheme, which involved a reputed member of the Genovese crime family,
and could face up to 20 years in prison when they are sentenced, the U.S.
attorneys for New Jersey and the Eastern District of New York said Wednesday.
Salvatore LaGrasso, 58, of
Edison; Michael Nicolosi, 45, of Staten Island; and Julio Porrao, 71, of Palm
Coast, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiring to extort Christmastime tributes
from the union members. They entered their guilty pleas before U.S. District
Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark.
Charges are still pending
against five defendants, including a racketeering conspiracy charge against
Stephen Depiro, 58, of Kenilworth — a reputed soldier in the Genovese organized
crime family. Since at least 2005, Depiro has managed the Genovese family’s
control over the New Jersey waterfront, including the nearly three-decades-long
extortion of port workers in Local 1, Local 1235 and Local 1478, authorities
said.
According to documents filed in
this case and statements made in court, LaGrasso, Nicolosi and Porrao admitted
that they conspired with each other and others to compel tribute payments from
ILA union members, who made the payments based on actual and threatened force,
violence and fear, Fishman said. The timing of the extortons typically
coincided with the receipt by some ILA members of “container royalty fund”
checks, a form of year-end compensation.
LaGrasso and Nicolosi were
suspended from their positions after their arrests. Porrao already had retired
at the time of his arrest.
Members of the Genovese family,
including Depiro, are charged with conspiring to collect tribute payments from
New Jersey port workers at Christmastime each year through their corrupt
influence over union officials, including the last three presidents of Local
1235, Fishman said.
LaGrasso, Nicolosi, and Porrao
face up to 20 years in prison an a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled
for Sept. 17 for LaGrasso and Nicolosi and for Sept. 24 for Porrao.
U.S. Attorneys Paul Fishman of
New Jersey and Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York credited
the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Office of Inspector General, the
Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations with the investigation
leading to the guilty pleas. They also thanked the Waterfront Commission of New
York Harbor for its cooperation and assistance in the investigation.