Former Lieutentant of Genovese Crime Family Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to an Additional Year in Prison

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH LEO, nephew and former primary lieutenant to DANIEL LEO, a/k/a "The Lion," former Acting Boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, was sentenced today for conspiracy and participation in the affairs of the Genovese Organized Crime Family through a pattern of racketeering activity, including loansharking and illegal gambling offenses. JOSEPH LEO was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $200,000 as the proceeds of the Genovese Organized Crime Family's illegal gambling business. JOSEPH LEO's sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his 46-month sentence based on his conviction in Manhattan federal court on extortion charges in October 2007.

DANIEL and JOSEPH LEO pleaded guilty to the offenses for which JOSEPH LEO was sentenced today on January 27, 2010, before United States Magistrate Judge RONALD L. ELLIS. United States District Judge RICHARD J. HOLWELL imposed the sentence today in Manhattan federal court.

According to the Superseding Indictment to which the defendants pleaded, other documents filed in this and related cases, and statements made in court:

Beginning in about 2005, DANIEL LEO became the Acting  Boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, from his previous post as a member of the Family's ruling panel. During the time DANIEL LEO served as Acting Boss, he continued to supervise a "crew" of Genovese Organized Crime Family members and associates, including JOSEPH LEO, CHARLES SALZANO, and others, who committed loansharking, extortion, and illegal gambling offenses under DANIEL LEO's direction.

DANIEL LEO was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $1.3 million as the proceeds of the Genovese Family's illegal gambling business. His sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his 60-month sentence based on his conviction in Manhattan federal court on extortion charges in October 2007.

Six other defendants charged in the Indictment have pleaded guilty: FELICE MASULLO, ANTHONY MASULLO, ANGELO MASULLO, VINCENT COTONA, CHARLES SALZANO, and ARTHUR BOLAND. Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department in this investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office's Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys DAVID B. MASSEY, AVI WEITZMAN, BRIAN JACOBS, and JASON HERNANDEZ are in charge of the prosecutions.