Murder For Hire At The McDonald's Drive-Thru: Larchmont Man Guilty

LARCHMONT, NY — The third time Anthony Zottola, Sr. tried to kill his father, he was successful, according to federal prosecutors, but the real estate heir will head to prison rather than seize control of the family real estate business as planned.

A federal jury in Brooklyn on Wednesday convicted the 44-year-old of plotting to kill his father and brother to take over the multi-million dollar family business.

Following six weeks of trial, Anthony Zottola, Sr. and Himen Ross were convicted of murder-for-hire conspiracy and murder-for-hire in the Oct. 4, 2018, killing of Sylvester Zottola, 71, as he waited to pick up a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the Bronx. The jury also found the defendants guilty of causing Sylvester Zottola’s death through the use of a firearm, and unlawful use and possession of firearms. They face mandatory life terms when sentenced in U.S. District Court.

A third defendant, Alfred Lopez, was acquitted on all counts.

"Over the course of more than a year, the elderly victim, Sylvester Zottola, was stalked, beaten, and stabbed, never knowing who orchestrated the attacks," Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement announcing the verdict. "It was his own son, who was so determined to control the family’s lucrative real estate business that he hired a gang of hit men to murder his father. For sentencing his father to a violent death, Anthony Zottola and his co-defendant will spend the rest of their lives in prison where they belong as a result of today’s verdict. I thank our prosecutors, the FBI Special Agents and NYPD detectives for their tremendous investigative work solving this cold-blooded crime and bringing the defendants to justice."

Anthony Zottola repeatedly plotted to kill his father and his brother so that he could take control of the family business, according to federal investigators.

"Proven by evidence and testimony during trial, Zottola had not one, not two, but multiple chances to rethink his deadly intent to murder his own father," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said. "He and the others he recruited chose to continue with their savage plot and succeeded. Now, instead of living off his father's millions, his only payday will be federal prison."

Sylvester Zottola controlled a residential real estate portfolio consisting of multi-family rental properties that was valued at tens of millions of dollars at the time of his death. Anthony Zottola helped manage his father's real estate business by maintaining the properties, collecting rent and helping to run A&S Maintenance, a company that was jointly owned by Anthony and his brother Salvatore Zottola.

Anthony Zottola hired co-conspirator Bushawn "Shelz" Shelton to kill his father and his brother, Salvatore. Shelton recruited others to commit the murders, and together they engaged in a year-long conspiracy to carry out a series of violent attacks against Sylvester and Salvatore Zottola.

Salvatore, who testified at trial, endured several violent attacks on his life. On Nov. 26, 2017, Sylvester Zottola was menaced at gunpoint by a masked individual. On Dec. 27, 2017, three men invaded Sylvester Zottola’s residence, struck him on the head with a gun, stabbed him multiple times, and slashed his throat. Zottola survived the attack. Then on July 11, 2018, a gunman shot Salvatore Zottola in the head, chest, and hand in front of his residence. Zottola survived the shooting.

A tracking device was placed on Sylvester Zottola’s car, allowing Ross to track him to the McDonald’s restaurant on Webster Avenue where Ross fatally shot the victim multiple times.

Ross and Shelton exchanged texts immediately after the hit, and then Shelton and Anthony Zottola exchanged texts, in which Anthony was informed that his father had just been murdered.

Shelton texted Anthony Zottola: “Can we party today or tomorrow?”

Anthony Zottola assured Shelton that he would soon have Shelton’s payment for the hit.

"I have the cases of water in a day or so," he said.

A photograph later recovered from one of Shelton’s cellular telephones depicts a cardboard box of bottled water, as well as over $200,000 in banded currency.

Shelton pleaded guilty in August 2022 to murder-for-hire conspiracy and murder-for-hire. He is awaiting sentencing.

"Today’s convictions underscore the unwavering commitment of the NYPD, and its law enforcement partners, to deliver meaningful consequences for violent crimes — in this case against those who carried out a sustained plot to commit murder," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. "For their effort to build a strong prosecution, I want to thank and commend our NYPD investigators, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, the New York Field Office of the FBI, and everyone who worked to see this case through to a successful outcome."

The wide-ranging conspiracy involved more than a half dozen characters. Himen "A Boggie" Ross, 36, was convicted as a co-defendant alongside Zottola. Those who already pleaded guilty in the case, according to prosecutors, include Herman "Taliban" Blanco, 37; Arthur "Scary" Codner, 34; Jason "The Hat" Cummings, 34; Bushawn "Shelz" Shelton, 38; and 36-year-old Julian "Bizzy" Snipe.

SEE ALSO: Son Plotted To Have Dad Killed At Drive-Through: Feds