Opinion ID: 3063901
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Bolita

Text: The Defendants were part of an organized crime enterprise (the Corporation) that ran “bolita,” a numbers gambling operation in New York and New Jersey. The organization was devoted to making as much money as possible – especially for those at the top – through numerous bolita gambling locations. It also existed to protect that money by any means necessary. The indictment charges that the conspiracy began in 1964, and involved the commission of a variety of predicate acts, including murder, arson, and money-laundering. Jose Battle, Sr. was at various times the head of the Corporation and was the father and codefendant of Battle, Jr., who also played a leadership role for a certain period of time. Battle Sr. plead guilty, but he died after he was sentenced. Acuna was a long-time confederate of Battle, Sr., who acted as Battle Sr.’s bodyguard and worked as an “enforcer” for the organization. In the beginning Abraham Rydz and fellow Cuban emigres, including Battle Sr., Juan Mojica, and Humberto Davila, operated separate bolita operations in New York and New Jersey. Over time, Rydz became a partner of Mojica, who had moved to Spain, Antonio Rodriguez, who lived in Florida, and Luis Tinta. Rydz and Tinta managed 40 bolita “spots” (a location such as a business or store where a 5 bolita worker took bets, also known as a “store” or “bank”) that collected over a million dollars in bets per week. Davila’s bolita operation, known as the “Company,” rivaled Battle Sr.’s Corporation. The Corporation’s enforcers would ensure compliance with the “two-block rule” (that a new spot could not be opened within two blocks of a competitor’s existing spot) by first issuing a warning to business owners and workers; if unsuccessful, enforcers would then resort to such tactics as destruction of property, arson, assault, extortion, and murder. In 1977, Battle Sr. and Acuna were tried for the murder of Ernesto Torres, a former Corporation employee. Torres had left the organization because of a dispute with Battle, Sr. over his own outside gambling activities, which Battle, Sr. believed were inconsistent with the interests of the organization. Torres also owed the organization bolita money that he had collected as a banker. After Torres kidnapped and killed one of the Corporation's bankers, Acuna and Battle, Sr. tracked Torres down in Florida, where he was living with his girlfriend Idalia Fernandez. Acting under the direct orders of Battle, Sr. Acuna entered the apartment, shot and wounded Fernandez while she watched television in the living room, and following a shootout with Torres, shot and killed him in the bedroom closet. The deposition testimony of two witnesses from that murder trial, Carlos 6 Hernandez and Idalia Fernandez, was read into the record in the instant case. Within weeks of being deposed, Fernandez was shot to death in New York. Battle, Sr. plead guilty to conspiracy to murder Torres and the charges against Acuna were dismissed.2 Upon release from prison in late 1979, Battle, Sr. began working with his son, who in a sense, had been “tutored” in the bolita business by Rydz at Battle, Sr.’s request. Manuel Marquez, Sr., his uncle, helped run the operations. Rydz asked Battle, Jr. if he could represent that they were partners so that Battle, Sr.’s reputation would afford Rydz’s some protection. Battle, Jr. agreed. Rydz’s partners wanted to retire, and Rydz, needing protection, agreed to merge his bolita operation into the Battles’ smaller business. At that point, Rydz, Battle, Jr. and Battle Sr. each received 16% of the profits, and Marquez was paid a percentage of the business as a salary. This combined organization operated in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and in portions of Manhattan. Battle, Sr. confided to Rydz that he had gone to Miami in 1976 in order to get rid of Torres, and that he would also like to get rid of Fernandez, who had been with Torres when he was murdered. Battle, Sr. later told Rydz that Fernandez had to be “disappeared” because she had witnessed Torres’ 2 Specifically, Battle, Sr. was convicted on conspiracy and solicitation counts, but on appeal, the conspiracy charge was dismissed and the solicitation counts were reversed; he later pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 33 months’ probation with credit for time served. Acuna had absconded after the 1977 Torres murder charge; he was arrested in 1984. 7 murder and had testified against Battle Sr. in his murder trial. (Fernandez had testified that on June 16, 1976, after she and Torres fled to Florida, that Acuna broke into their Hialeah, Florida apartment, shot her in the face and chest, and, when she awoke, she discovered Torres had been killed.) Rydz and Battle, Jr., now allies, moved to Miami in 1982, and Battle Sr. likewise relocated there. Battle, Sr. set up a 20-acre farm called “El Zapotal.” While Marquez managed bolita operations on a day-to-day basis, Rydz and Battle, Jr. called Marquez and others in New York on a daily basis, checking on operations and managing the business. Rydz and Battle, Jr. traveled to New York at least twice a month to review gambling records and reports, claim their percentage of profits in cash, and make management decisions. Employees of the enterprise transported millions in cash from New York to Miami and delivered the money to Battle, Jr., Rydz, and Battle Sr. and later, to Marquez, after he relocated to Florida. The testimony at the trial in the instant matter showed that the enterprise expanded quickly to the point where by 1988, it operated 250-300 spots and 12-15 offices for processing bets, counting cash and keeping records. It involved the use of bankers who, in exchange for operating spots, would be reimbursed for operational overhead, would be provided protection, and would receive a portion of the profits. 8 Competition with Davila increased. In response to Davila’s establishment of competing spots in violation of the two-block rule, the enterprise began an arson campaign, burning out spots in order to protect its share of the business, maintain the respect of its competitors and preserve the loyalty of its bankers and employees. The enforcers were paid to commit bodily harm, arson, and murder. From 1983 through 1984, one enforcer paid a thug for 30 to 35 arsons of rival bolita spots. Some arsons resulted in deaths. The Corporation established an account called “UNESCO” to pay for these arsons and other enforcement actions, including bail and legal defense of enterprise employees or associates. Battle, Jr. did not favor the arsons and preferred to negotiate when the two-block rule was violated; in fact, Battle, Jr. never authorized an arson before it was committed. Nevertheless, both Rydz and Battle Jr. continued to receive bolita profits while the arson campaign raged on and for years thereafter. Acuna served as Battle Sr.’s bodyguard and personal assistant. He also worked as an enforcer, collecting money from delinquent debtors, sometimes by force.