Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Member And Associate Charged With Making And Collecting Extortionate Loans

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District in Philadelphia released the below information:

An indictment was unsealed today against an alleged member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and his alleged associate.  The indictment charges various crimes involving the making of extortionate loans, conspiracy, and collections of loans by extortionate means. 

The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Division.

The defendants charged in the 15-count indictment are Philadelphia LCN Family member Philip Narducci, 56, and his associate James Gallo, 44.

All of the defendants were arrested today and will make initial court appearances in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia at 1:30 pm. EST. 

According to the indictment, Narducci allegedly made usurious and extortionate loans involving large amounts of money to a borrower.  As set forth in the indictment, when the borrower failed to make weekly interest payments, Narducci allegedly used physical violence through assault and threats of violence to force the borrower to repay the loans.  The indictment also alleges that, at Narducci’s direction, Gallo collected weekly interest payments on the usurious loans from the borrower and used threats of violence to facilitate the collections. 

Each charge of making extortionate extortions of credit, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means, and collections of extensions of credit by extortionate means making extortionate extensions of credit, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. 

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

An indictment is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

Member Of United States Army Sentenced To 10 Month Sentence For Theft And Sale Of Military-Issued Night Vision Technology

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York released the below information:

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Johnathan Serrano, a member of the United States Army, was sentenced to a 10 month sentence (6 months’ imprisonment and 4 months’ home confinement), ordered to forfeit $10,200 in criminal proceeds to the government, and ordered to pay $67,000 in restitution to the United States Army following his conviction after a guilty plea on April 26, 2016 to one felony count of conspiracy to steal and sell government property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  Today’s sentencing proceeding was held before Judge I. Leo Glasser.

The conviction stems from Serrano’s leadership in a scheme to steal and sell night-vision devices and components stolen from the United States Army.  Night vision technology allows images to be produced and seen in near-total darkness conditions and is a vital tool for the military.  Night vision devices acquired by the United States military, such as the items stolen and sold by the defendant, contain components made to military specifications and are required by the military to be rendered useless for their intended purpose prior to leaving government control.  The United States military’s policies prohibit the private sale of fully-functional military-issued night vision equipment. 

The defendant is an active-duty member of the United State Army, who was stationed at Fort Bliss base in El Paso Texas and assigned to perform repairs of radio technology.  Between April 2014 and May 2015, Serrano used his access to the repair facilities at the military base to steal numerous components for night vision devices.  To conceal his role in the conspiracy, Serrano had his cousin, co-conspirator Alan Serrano, and another individual, sell the devices over the internet via the eBay website and email communications with prospective buyers.[1]  The investigation revealed that the conspirators sold or attempted to sell over $10,000 worth of night vision equipment, including to a purchaser in Brooklyn, New York.  Additionally, five night vision devices and 50 boxes with serial numbers matching night vision components were recovered from the conspirators’ residences.  In total, Serrano and his co-conspirators stole over $120,000 worth of equipment from the United States Army.

The sentence was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Craig Rupert, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), New York; Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; and Diego G. Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Heeren.

The Defendants:

JOHNATHAN SERRANO
El Paso, Texas
Age: 31

ALAN SERRANO
El Paso, Texas
Age: 25

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[1] On March 4, 2016, Alan Serrano pled guilty to unlawful sale of government property.  His sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow before Judge Glasser.