SPRINGFIELD - Telling reputed local mob leader Anthony J. Arilotta that
it was time to "stop acting like a 12-year-old," a federal judge
yesterday sentenced him to 29 months in federal prison for running a
sports betting operation.
With Arilotta's family and friends watching, U.S. District Judge
Michael A. Ponsor also ordered the 38-year-old produce company employee
to pay a $10,000 fine and serve three years' parole.
The sentence - coming five months after Arilotta pleaded guilty in a
state gambling case - represented another success in a state and
federal crackdown on organized crime in Springfield. Following the
unsolved shooting death of Adolfo M. Bruno in 2003, Arilotta has been
described by prosecutors as a rising star in the local organized crime
hierarchy.
Yesterday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse portrayed the
defendant as a repeat offender who piled up previous convictions for
gambling, assault and other charges. Even after federal agents arrested
him in a gambling raid in March 2004, Arilotta continued to run his
sports betting operation for six more weeks, Newhouse told Ponsor.
"He's had 20 years in the criminal justice system," Newhouse said. "The question is: Does he get it? Is it over for him?"
Newhouse also said a gambling ring operated by Arilotta and two other
defendants was controlled by organized crime, despite claims to the
contrary by the defendant's lawyer, Vincent A. Bongiorni.
Bongiorni said his client wanted to serve his sentence and return to
his wife and three children. Noting that Arilotta's father had run a
successful produce business for years, Bongiorni said he urged his
client to pursue legitimate business interests in the future.
"I told him the old days are over; if you don't adapt, you're a
dinosaur and you're going to die," said Bongiorni, who represented some
of region's best known organized crime figures in the past two decades.
Before issuing the sentence, Ponsor pointed out that the defendant had
received dozens of letters of support from family and friends, some of
whom expressed dismay at his continuing legal troubles.
The judge added that if Arilotta really cared about his family, he
would abandon his life of crime and punishment. "This has to be
humiliating" for Arilotta's family, Ponsor said. "It's time to stop
acting like a 12-year-old and start acting like a 38-year-old man."
Among those showing support for Arilotta yesterday were two veteran
employees of the Hampden Superior Court Clerk's office - Arilotta's
aunt Sue Kelly and evidence clerk Richard White. Both attended the 2
p.m. hearing and, according to Ponsor, also submitted letters of
support.
Arilotta pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit illegal gaming,
conducting an illegal gambling operation, and conspiring with others in
financial transactions involving proceeds from unlawful activities
(illegal sports betting.)
The sentence will run concurrently with the 3½ year state sentence
Arilotta is serving, making it possible that he will be finished both
terms in 2½ years.
MassLive.com
