Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Capo Sentenced to
97 Months in Prison

Anthony Staino was sentenced today to serve 97 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving extortion, loan sharking and illegal gambling, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.

Staino, 57, of Swedesboro, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  In addition to his prison term, Staino was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release.

On Apr. 19, 2013, Staino pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct and participate in the affairs of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra (LCN) Family through a pattern of racketeering activity.  Through court documents and statements made in court at the time of the plea, Staino admitted that, as a made member and capo of the Philadelphia LCN Family, he gave a usurious loan to an undercover FBI agent and used threats of violence to collect payments on the loan.  Staino also admitted that he ran an illegal electronic gambling device business for the mob, providing video poker machines and other gambling devices for bars, restaurants, convenience stores, coffee shops and other locations in Philadelphia and its suburbs, and then collected the illegal gambling proceeds.

A total of 12 leaders, members and associates of the Philadelphia LCN Family have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury as part of this case.  Eight of the defendants, including Staino, have been sentenced, and four are awaiting sentencing.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank A. Labor III and Suzanne B. Ercole of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  Valuable prosecutorial assistance was provided by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.  Additional assistance was provided by the New Jersey Department of Corrections.