An infamous member of the Bonanno crime family who was the
inspiration for the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997
film ‘Donnie Brasco’, says he is not willing to do hard time after
allegedly being involved in the illicit sales of illegal erectile dysfunction medications.
Nicholas “Nicky Mouth” Santora flatly refused the offer of a plea
deal for a reduced prison term – believed to be between 7-to-21 years –
on Wednesday in exchange for admitting to a string of high level
corruption charges. 72-year-old Bonanno don Santora would have seen a
year cut from the minimum prison term he will receive if convicted on
trial for the charges.
The Bonanno family are just one of the
“Five Families” that primarily control the organised crime dealings
within New York City, arising from the Province of Trapani, Sicily at
the turn of the century.
In total there were nine crew members, including the aging Santora,
who were arrested last August in connection with loansharking, extortion
and Viagra-peddling.
The mob gang managed to flog nearly 300,000 Viagra
and Cialis pills, priced between $5 and $20 per pill, says the criminal
complaint. Officers conducted a heist following a lengthy investation
that lasted 2 years, and discovered 500 oxycodone pills, two dozen boxed
tablets of Viagra, in addition to large quantities of marijuana in many
of the gang member’s homes. Oxycodone can be highly addictive and is
often used as an alternative to oral morphine to relieve cancer pain.
If convicted, all could face a maximum of 25 years imprisonment for
their participation in crimes which included illegally selling
prescription medications such as the hugely popular erectile dysfunction
drugs Viagra and Cialis — in addition to perjury and possession of firearms.
Santora apparently staunchly disagreed with the proposed deal, according to his defense lawyer Michael Alber.
“There’s absolutely no way he’s taking that disposition. He’s not
involved in enterprise corruption,” he said. “The prosecution is seeking
to link people some who don’t even recognize each other except when
they come to court.”
Anthony “Skinny” Santoro was also given the chance to accept a term
of 9-to-18 years behind bars by prosecutors, which would be the longest
prison term after Santora, and this has also been refused by Santoro.
“It’s ridiculous, it was a non-violent gambling offense,” commented Santoro’s attorney Tim Parlatore.
Frail Santora has been locked up ever since Manhattan Supreme Court
Justice Melissa Jackson set his bond at a staggering $1 million.
medical-specialists.co.uk
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