Opinion ID: 787685
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Arrests, Indictment, Guilty Pleas, and Trial

Text: 28 After their arrests in 2002 for Lombardi's murder, Polito told Cerasulo that they all had to stick together. During a prison conversation that took place after Polito had expressed concern about whether Bruno would begin cooperating with the Government, Polito told Cerasulo that Polito would supply Bruno with an attorney. After this conversation, an attorney came to visit Bruno and told him that she had been sent by Polito and that her fee had been paid; Bruno declined to retain her. Fortunato also unsuccessfully offered to hire a lawyer for Bruno. In June or July 2002, Bruno pled guilty to murder in aid of racketeering pursuant to a cooperation agreement. After testifying for the Government at the trial of Polito and Fortunato, Bruno was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. 29 In August 2002, the remaining four conspirators were charged by a federal grand jury in an eight-count superseding indictment. Count I charged all four defendants with racketeering conspiracy — i.e., violating the RICO statute by conspiring to commit the predicate racketeering acts enumerated in Count II. Count II charged Fortunato and Cerasulo with racketeering — conducting the affairs of the Genovese Family enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activities, consisting of five predicate acts (Racketeering Acts One through Five): (1) conspiring to murder Lombardi and D'Urso, (2) murdering Lombardi, (3) attempting to murder D'Urso, (4) corruptly endeavoring to influence Michael's grand jury testimony, and (5) conspiring to rob, and robbing, the Chemical Bank branch. 3 Count III charged all four defendants with the murder of Lombardi as a violent crime in aid of racketeering. 30 Count IV charged all four defendants with conspiring to (i) obstruct justice and (ii) make false statements in connection with the substantive crimes charged in Counts V through VIII. Count V charged all four defendants with Cerasulo's false statement to the FBI that he did not know who did the shootings. 4 Count VI charged all four defendants with Fortunato's false statement to the FBI that he, too, did not know who did the shootings. Count VII charged all four defendants with Cerasulo's obstruction of justice in trying to influence Giuseppe's grand jury testimony. And Count VIII charged all four defendants with Fortunato's obstruction of justice in trying to influence Michael's grand jury testimony. The indictment also sought forfeiture of $1.6 million and certain other assets. 31 On September 26, 2003, Cerasulo pled guilty to murder in aid of racketeering pursuant to a cooperation agreement. After testifying for the Government at the trial of Polito and Fortunato, Cerasulo was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. On January 10, 2003, Imbrieco pled guilty to RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the Government by making false statements and obstructing justice, pursuant to a plea agreement that promised him a twenty-year sentence. Although Imbrieco did not testify at the trial of Polito and Fortunato, excerpts from the transcript of his plea allocution were read to the jury. In those excerpts, Imbrieco admitted that: (i) he had conspired with Cerasulo and Fortunato to murder Lombardi and D'Urso; (ii) he had conspired with Fortunato, Polito, and Cerasulo to make false statements to the FBI and influence the testimony of grand jury witnesses; and (iii) an effort was made to influence the grand jury testimony of Giuseppe. 32 On January 28, 2003, after a ten-day trial, the jury convicted Polito and Fortunato on all counts charged in a redacted superseding indictment 5 and returned a forfeiture finding of $275,000. On June 6, 2003, Polito and Fortunato were sentenced principally to life imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $275,000 (jointly and severally). These timely appeals followed.