Charles Stango, 72, of Henderson, Nevada, admitted in federal court today to using a telephone across state lines to plot the murder of a rival within the DeCavalcante crime family, a faction of La Cosa Nostra operating in New Jersey and beyond. The guilty plea, entered before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls in Newark, marks the latest fall from grace for a career mobster already serving time for racketeering.
Stango pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly using an interstate facility—the telephone—with intent to commit murder. He also admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release, stemming from a prior New York racketeering conviction. Documents filed in the case reveal Stango believed the intended victim, identified as ‘Victim 1,’ falsely claimed to be a ‘made man’ in the family and had insulted a high-ranking member—an offense Stango deemed worthy of death.
According to court statements and recorded evidence, Stango offered up to $50,000 to two individuals he believed were hitmen capable of carrying out the hit. In reality, both were undercover FBI agents. The Bureau moved swiftly to shut down the operation, ensuring the intended victim, who was never harmed, remained safe throughout the investigation.
Stango was arrested April 14, 2015, during a sweeping takedown targeting DeCavalcante family members involved in a wide criminal network. The family, part of the nationwide Mafia structure, has long engaged in murder conspiracies, drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, and violent crimes. This case underscores the continued reach and brutality of the organization, even as law enforcement tightens its grip.
Six co-defendants, including Stango’s son Anthony Stango, have already pleaded guilty to charges including cocaine distribution and attempting to establish a prostitution ring to enrich the crime family. The count to which Charles Stango pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2017.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Newark Field Office under Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, with critical support from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, the Bayonne Police Department, the N.J. State Commission of Investigation, the FBI’s Las Vegas office, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Donnelly. Stango is represented by Chester Keller, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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