South Philly Auto Shop Operator Sentenced In Murder-For-Hire Case

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia, author of Gotti's Rules, reports on the sentencing of Ron Galati for Bigtrial.net.

Ron Galati, the South Philadelphia auto body shop operator with a Godfather complex, was sentenced to nearly 23 years in federal prison this morning in a convoluted murder-for-hire case that was more suited for Mob Wives than Mario Puzo's classic American Mafia saga.

Citing the "callous" nature of the crime, but acknowledging Galati's age (64) and health problems, Judge Joseph Rodriguez imposed a sentence of 271 months, less than the maximum 308-month sentence sought by prosecutors but considerably more than the "home confinement" Galati's defense attorney had asked for.
No one from Galati's family attended the sentencing hearing and Galati, dressed in a green prison jump suit, his toupee neatly in place, opted not to comment when asked by the judge if he had anything to say. Andrew Tuono, on the other hand, took a series of parting verbal shots at his one-time friend. The victim of the shooting, Tuono asked for a maximum sentence, telling Rodriguez that he lives every day with the aftermath of the attempted murder that Galati set in motion.

Tuono, 34, was dating Galati's daughter Tiffany when he was shot multiple times outside the Atlantic City townhouse they shared in November 2013.

"I have no doubt this came from him," Tuono, dressed in jeans and a starched white shirt, said after being called to the witness stand by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Richardson. Tuono said he still has a bullet lodged in his pelvis that gives him constant pain and that two of the fingers on his left hand are paralyzed from another bullet that ripped through his hand during the attempted murder.
Richardson, the prosecutor in the case, said the murder-for-hire plot was in many ways a twisted love story involving two men who loved the same woman. Tuono was living with Tiffany Galati at the time and her father didn't think he was good enough for her, the prosecutor said.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2015/03/galati-sentenced-in-murder-for-hire-case.html#more

You can also read Allison Steele's report on the Galati sentencing at the Philadelphia Inquirer via the below link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20150303_22_years_for_Galati_in_plot_to_kill_daughter_s_boyfriend.html

Lawyer For South Philly Man Accused In Murder-For-Hire & Insurance Fraud Cases Bows Out

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia (seen in the above photo) offers a piece on South Philly auto repair owner who is accused of murder-for-hire and insurance fraud for Bigtrial.net.

Wannabe wiseguy Ron Galati, the South Philadelphia auto body shop owner with a Godfather fixation, wants to keep fighting. But it looks like he'll have to do battle without the services of topnotch criminal defense attorney Anthony Voci Jr.

Voci has filed motions to withdraw as Galati's attorney in a pending murder-for-hire case and a massive insurance fraud conspiracy case. Both are listed for trial in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.

"My client does not have sufficient funds to allow me to continue," Voci said in a brief comment today when asked about the withdrawal motions. Voci, a former Assistant District Attorney, represented Galati in another murder-for-hire case in federal court in Camden earlier this year.

In that case, Galati was convicted of hiring two hitmen to murder the boyfriend of his estranged daughter. The boyfriend survived the hit and was one of several key witnesses. The two hitmen, a third conspirator and Galati's daughter Tiffany also took the stand for the government. 
 You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2014/12/galatis-lawyer-bows-out.html#more 

What The Jury Knows, And Doesn't Know, In The South Philly Murder-For-Hire Trial

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia is covering the federal murder-for-hire trial of the South Philadelphia auto body shop owner with alleged organized crime connection for bigtrial.net.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday morning in the murder-for-hire trial of South Philadelphia auto body shop owner Ron Galati.

A jury of 10 women and two men will likely begin deliberations later in the day. Galati's future is in the balance. The 64-year-old wannabe wiseguy, who opted not to take the witness stand, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. A sentence near the top of the guideline would be tantamount to life.

If the jury convicts, Galati's daughter Tiffany, 31, will be the witness who sealed his fate.

If the jury acquits, or can't make a decision, Tiffany may also be the reason.

The tart-tongued South Philadelphia princess was one of the last witnesses called by the prosecution in the weeklong case. She spent nearly three hours on the stand, largely supporting the testimony of three other key witnesses who said Ron Galati had hired them to kill Andrew Tuono, Tiffany's then boyfriend.
You can read the rest of the piece via the below piece:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2014/09/what-jury-knows-and-doesnt-know-in.html#more

Philadelphia Business Owner And Associate Charged In Murder-For-Hire Plot That Involved Atlantic City Shooting

The U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, released the below information yesterday:

CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Philadelphia men are scheduled to appear in court today on charges of conspiracy, murder for hire and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm related to a shooting in Atlantic City, N.J., last year, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Ronald Galati, 63, and Jerome Johnson, 45, will have their initial court appearances before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court. They were each charged in an indictment – returned by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2014, and unsealed today – with conspiring with Ronald Walker, 48, of Philadelphia, and Alvin Matthews, 46, of Brookhaven, Pa., to shoot and kill an individual in Atlantic City, N.J., on Nov. 30, 2013. Johnson was also charged with transporting a firearm for use during the commission of a felony, transferring a firearm for use in a crime of violence and being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Galati owned and operated American Collision & Automotive Center (American Collision) in Philadelphia. At various times, Johnson has worked there for Galati. Prior to June 2013, Galati allegedly began saying he was going to kill a person identified as “Victim One.” 

In June 2013, Galati, members of Galati’s family and associates of Galati had dinner with Victim One at a restaurant in Northfield, N.J. During dinner, Galati took Victim One into the kitchen and threatened to kill him.

Galati and Johnson allegedly approached Walker and Matthews and asked them to kill Victim One in a way that would not implicate Galati. Galati promised to pay Walker and Matthews to shoot and kill Victim One.

Galati provided Walker and Matthews with several addresses associated with Victim One, including an address in the vicinity of Broad and Snyder streets in Philadelphia. In November 2013, in an attempt to find and kill Victim One, Johnson took Walker and another individual to Victim One’s home in Philadelphia.  Finding the home empty, the other individual broke into Victim One’s home and vandalized it while Walker waited outside.

On Nov. 29, 2013, Johnson gave Matthews a Colt .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun.  The next day, Johnson telephoned Walker and Matthews and arranged to meet them. At some point Galati called Johnson and told him that Victim One was in New Jersey. Johnson drove Walker and Matthews to Atlantic City and told them if there was a woman with Victim One, she was not to be harmed. While in Johnson’s vehicle, Matthews gave Walker the handgun he received from Johnson the day before. Johnson then dropped Walker and Matthews off around the corner from Victim One’s home.

When Victim One and a woman came out of a house, Walker and Matthews approached them and Walker shot Victim One with the Colt .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun, striking Victim One multiple times. The victim survived the shooting.

The count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire (Count 1) and the murder-for-hire count (Count 3) each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The count of conspiracy to possess and use a firearm during a crime of violence (Count 2) carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of aiding and abetting the possession and use of firearm during a crime of violence (Count 4) carries a mandatory minimum consecutive prison sentence of 10 years and maximum of life and a $250,000 fine.

The additional counts with which Johnson is charged, knowingly transporting a firearm for use during the commission of a felony (Count 5), knowingly transferring a firearm for use in a crime of violence (Count 6) and being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm (Count 7), each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

On March 17, 2014, Matthews and Walker pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to a three-count information charging them with conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder for hire; use of a firearm, and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm, in furtherance of a crime of violence, and with being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Matthews’ and Walker’s sentencings are schedule for June 30, 2014.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; special agents of the ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robin Shoemaker; and detectives of the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Henry White, for the investigation the case. He also thanked the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney R. Seth Williams, detectives of the Philadelphia Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Charles Ramsey; and troopers of the Pennsylvania State Police, under the direction of Commissioner Frank Noonan, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Richardson and Matthew T. Smith of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.