5 Long Island Men Charged in Takedown of Genovese Crime Family: Feds

Eighteen people, including five from Long Island, have been indicted following a multi-year investigation of racketeering activities by members and associates of the Genovese crime family, federal authorities said Thursday.

The five Long Island men charged were involved in an illegal gambling operation and each faces up to five years in prison, officials said.

They are: 31-year-old Scott Jacobson, of Old Bethpage; 50-year-old Frank Celso, of West Hempstead; 35-year-old Michael Vigorito, of Massapequa; 31-year-old Spyro Antonakopoulos, of Elmont; and 34-year-old Jonathan Desimone, of Huntington.

An indictment unsealed Thursday charges four members and associates of the Genovese family – namely, Genovese family "soldiers" 74-year-old Robert Debello, aka "Old Man," and 56-year-old Steven Pastore, and family "associates" Ryan Ellis, aka "Lazy Eye," and Salvatore Delligatti, aka "Fat Sal" with racketeering conspiracy. All four live in New York City.

Federal authorities said in the press release:

In his capacity as a Genovese family soldier, Debello reported directly to a Genovese family captain, often at a social club in lower Manhattan within the Southern District of New York. From at least in or about 2008 through in or about May 2016, Debello, Pastore, Ellis and Delligati conspired to participate in the criminal affairs of the Genovese family through a pattern of racketeering activity. For example, in connection with their involvement in the racketeering activity of the Genovese family, Debello as well as Ellis and Delligati participated in a 2014 conspiracy to commit a murder, in an attempted murder, in a conspiracy to commit extortion, and in the operation of an illegal gambling business (the “Illegal Gambling Business”), and committed firearms offenses. Pastore was also involved in the operation of the illegal gambling business.

Five other defendants, all from New York City, participated in a conspiracy along with Delligati to commit a murder for hire and committed a related firearms offense, prosecutors said.

The nine remaining defendants, including the Long Island men, were involved in the illegal gambling business, authorities said.

"“Today’s arrests send a strong message that we are disrupting organized crime in New York," Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. "Working with our federal and local partners we are focused on breaking up criminal organizations that try to operate outside of the law. The allegations against some of the defendants – including conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering and gambling – are very serious, and we will continue our joint efforts to dismantle these violent criminal enterprises.”

Read the full press release for the names and charges against all of those arrested.