Son Gets Life, Plus In Dad's McDonald's Drive-Thru Assassination

LARCHMONT, NY — At the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Anthony Zottola, Sr. and Himen "A Boggie" Ross were sentenced by United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez to mandatory life imprisonment plus 112 years for their roles in the 2018 killing of 71-year-old Sylvester Zottola, the father of Anthony Zottola., Sr.

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

"Over the course of more than a year, the elderly victim, Sylvester Zottola, was stalked, beaten, and stabbed, never knowing who orchestrated the attacks," Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said, announcing the sentence. "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."

The additional years represent 41 years for Salvatore Zottola’s age when he was shot and 71 years for Sylvester Zottola’s age when he was killed. In October 2022, following a six-week trial, a federal jury found the pair guilty of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and firearms offenses.

"Today’s sentence justly punishes Mr. Zottola and Mr. Ross to life imprisonment for their roles in the heartless murder of Sylvester Zottola," Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI New York Field Office, said. "The FBI and the NYPD worked relentlessly to investigate this case and ensure the defendants paid the price for their senseless actions."

A federal jury in Brooklyn, in October, 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.

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

"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," 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.

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