Philadelphia Man Convicted in Murder for Hire Scheme in Atlantic City

A Philadelphia man has been convicted of arranging a murder for hire that led to a shooting in Atlantic City, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Tuesday evening.

Ronald Galati, 63, was found guilty of all four counts in the indictment against him: conspiracy to commit murder for hire; conspiracy to possess and use a firearm during a crime of violence; murder for hire; and aiding and abetting the possession and use of a firearm during a crime of violence following a two-week jury trial.

The jury deliberated for five hours before returning its verdict on Tuesday.

“Ronald Galati hired two men to kill his daughter’s boyfriend outside his home,” Fishman said. “This reprehensible conduct has no place in in civilized society. We are grateful to the jury for bringing Galati to justice.”

Galati, the owner of American Collision & Automotive Center (American Collision) in Philadelphia, allegedly threatened Andrew Tuono in the kitchen of a Northfield restaurant during a dinner he and Jerome Johnson, 45, were having with Galati’s friends and associates.

Galati and Johnson, one of Galati’s employees, asked Ronald Walker, 48, of Philadelphia, and Alvin Matthews, 46, of Brookhaven, Pa., to shoot and kill this person in a way that wouldn’t implicate Galati, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court. Galati promised to pay Walker $20,000.

In November of 2013, Johnson, Walker and another person attempted to kill the victim at their Philadelphia home. After discovering the intended target wasn’t home, the third person vandalized the home.

On Nov. 29, Johnson gave Matthews a Colt .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and the next day, took Walker and Matthews to Atlantic City. They found the victim with a woman, and Walker shot the man repeatedly with the handgun. The victim survived the shooting. The woman was not hurt, per Johnson’s instructions.

Walker and Matthews were arrested as they fled from the scene.

The two conspiracy counts and the murder for hire count each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The aiding and abetting firearms count carries a mandatory minimum consecutive prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.

Walker, Matthews and Johnson have each pleaded guilty to related offenses and await sentencing.