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

LARCHMONT, NY — A Westchester man was arrested Tuesday for plotting to have his father and brother killed last year. Charges were unsealed in federal court against Anthony Zottola Sr., 41, of Larchmont — along with Jason Cummings, 31, of Brooklyn; Alfred Lopez, 36, of New York, and Julian Snipe, 32, of the Bronx — related to the fatal shooting of Zottola Sr.'s father, Sylvester Zottola, and the near-fatal shooting of his brother, Salvatore Zottola.

Previously indicted were Herman Blanco, 34, of the Bronx; Arthur Codner, 31, of New Hampton; Kalik McFarlane, 37, of Brooklyn; Himen Ross, 33, of the Bronx, and Bushawn Shelton, 35, of Brooklyn. They are awaiting trial.

All the men face murder-for-hire conspiracy and related charges, authorities said.

Richard P. Donoghue, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said, "As alleged, Zottola Sr. set in motion a deadly plot to kill his father and brother, with Bloods gang members carrying out extreme acts of violence to collect a payoff for the hits."

He said Zottola Sr. and Shelton referred to the planned murders as "filming" a movie, "but thanks to the outstanding work of law enforcement, the ending of their plot will take place in a federal courthouse."

According to court filings, Zottola Sr. hired Shelton, a member of the Bloods street gang, to carry out the murders of his father and brother. Shelton then recruited others to commit the murders, police said.

In text messages with Shelton, Zotolla Sr. referred to the planned murder as "the filming" and the "final scene" — with his father as "the actor" and the hit man as "the director."

Authorities said, between Sept. 2017 and Oct. 2018, multiple violent attacks were committed against Sylvester Zottola and Salvatore Zottola.

On Nov. 26, 2017, Sylvester Zottola was menaced at gunpoint by a masked person, and on Dec. 27, 2017, three men invaded his residence and struck him on the head with a gun, stabbed him multiple times and slashed his throat. He survived the attack.

On July 11, 2018, a gunman shot Salvatore Zottola multiple times in the head, chest and hand in front of his residence. He survived the shooting.

On Oct. 4, 2018, Sylvester Zottola was shot to death in his car as he waited to pick up his order at a McDonald's drive-through in the Bronx.

Authorities said, shortly thereafter, one of the co-conspirators texted Shelton, saying "Done."

Minutes later, Shelton texted Zottola Sr.: "Can we party today or tomorrow?"

After agreeing to meet the following day, Zottola Sr. assured Shelton that he would have his payment ready soon, police said: "I have the cases of water in a day or so."

A photo recovered from one of Shelton's cellphones showed a cardboard box of bottle water, as well as more than $200,000 in banded currency, police said.

On Oct. 7, 2018, Zottola Sr. texted Shelton, "All good. Did you drink the water. Was it the right one," to which Shelton replied, "Definitely was the right one thanks I was able to water the plants and get some of them squared away."

Authorities said, early Tuesday, law enforcement executed search warrants at three of the defendants' residences. A handgun was recovered at Snipes' apartment, and about $100,000 in U.S. currency was seized at Zottola Sr.'s home.

If convicted of conspiring to commit a murder-for-hire, the men face a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment or possibly the death penalty, officials said.

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