Philadelphia Man Gets Over 20 Years in Atlantic City Murder-for-Hire Scheme

A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison for arranging a murder for hire that led to a shooting in Atlantic City, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced on Monday.

Ronald Galati, 64, was previously found guilty of all four counts 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.

He was also sentenced to five years supervised release, and he must pay restitution in the amount of $15,427.94.

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.

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

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