Jury Convicts Massachusetts State Trooper for Extorting and Threatening Local Bettor

BOSTON—A federal jury in Boston today convicted a Massachusetts State Police trooper for extorting and threatening a local bettor.

The jury, which deliberated over two days, convicted John Analetto, 49, of Belmont, on one count of extortion specific to a threatening phone call he made to a bettor in the gambling business. The jury was hung on the other count of extortion.

From October through December 2011, Analetto loaned money to a local bookmaker, who was a cooperating witness for the government. After learning of the bookmaker’s outstanding debts to loansharks, Analetto loaned him money in exchange for a percentage of his gambling business. Analetto loaned the bookie a total of $24,000 for these purposes and established the repayment terms as $500 principal return per week, plus interest return on the bookmaker’s gambling profits.

In various recorded meetings in December 2011, Analetto made threats in connection with the gambling business to both the cooperating witness and another bettor. Specifically on December 30, 2011, Analetto made a threatening phone call to a bettor, which was video recorded. The jury also heard a voicemail message received by the bettor, in which Analetto tells him that he must pay his debt or, “2012 isn’t going to be too good for you.”

Analetto has been in custody since his arrest on December 31, 2011. He faces the maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Boston Field Office; and Colonel Timothy Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Ortiz’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.