Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Capo Martin Angelina, 50, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy involving loan sharking and illegal gambling, federal authorities announced today.
The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno, also includes three years of supervised release. Angelina pleaded guilty on August 8, 2012, to conspiring to conduct and participate in the affairs of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family through a pattern of racketeering activity.
According to court documents, Angelina attempted to collect payments related to usurious loans by using extortionate means and operated an illegal video poker machine business in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.
Angelina’s sentence is part of a larger investigation into the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family, which has resulted in charges against 14 members and associates. The indictment includes charges of racketeering conspiracy, extortion, loan sharking, illegal gambling, witness tampering, and theft from an employee benefit plan.
The trial for several high-ranking members of the organization, including boss Joseph Ligambi and underboss Joseph Massimino, is scheduled to begin on October 9, 2012. Several other defendants, including George Borgesi and Gary Battaglini, have already pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges.
The case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the FBI. The investigation into the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family is ongoing, and more charges are expected in the coming months.
The sentence against Angelina marks a significant blow to the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family, which has been the subject of a long-running federal investigation. The organization’s influence and power in the city have been significantly diminished in recent years, and today’s sentence is a major step towards dismantling the organization once and for all.
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