Opinion ID: 785438
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Organized Crime Upward Departure for Basinski, Altobello, and Brown

Text: 53 We review the district court's application of sentencing departures de novo, but factual findings are reviewed for clear error. 18 U.S.C. § 3742(e); Mallon, 345 F.3d at 946.
54 It has long been understood that organized crime derives much of its power through illegal endeavors, including the theft and fencing of property. United States v. Turkette, 452 U.S. 576, 588, 101 S.Ct. 2524, 69 L.Ed.2d 246 (1981). The Chicago Outfit (hereinafter the Outfit) is one of the organized criminal enterprises in the United States. United States v. Rainone, 32 F.3d 1203, 1209 (7th Cir.1994). The Outfit is the clearest example of a gang operating on such a scale, with such success, over such a long period of time that the danger it poses to society is not adequately reflected in the guideline range. Id. 55 The Outfit operates through street crews, United States v. Salerno, 108 F.3d 730, 733 (7th Cir.1997); United States v. DiDomenico, 78 F.3d 294, 297-98 (7th Cir. 1996), and several of the conspirators in this case, including all three of the defendants who challenge the organized crime upward departure on appeal, were members of the Ogden/Grand Avenue crew controlled by Joseph Lombardo. 56 Information from confidential informants identified Basinski and Brown, along with Schiro and D'Antonio, as members of Joseph Lombardo's Grand Avenue Crew of the Chicago Outfit and described that group as an organized crime jewelry theft crew that worked closely with Hanhardt. CGV 45-52. A witness and an informant identified Altobello as a jewelry fence for organized crime. CGV39, 53. 57 Hanhardt stipulated at sentencing that as to the RICO conspiracy and the jewelry theft conspiracy, the conspirators used organized crime connections in the commission of the crimes. DeStefano agreed in his written plea agreement to a two-level enhancement because organized crime connections were used in the commission of the RICO offenses. Tr55/1/02//640-46. Schiro is not appealing that finding. The court found an organized crime connection for which Basinski, Altobello, and Brown received a two-level upward departure. Tr/5/6/02//21, 26; 5/28/02//166-67; 7/31/02// 41-42. 58 Where membership in or association with the Outfit is used to further the criminal activity for which a defendant is convicted, an upward departure under the guidelines is appropriate. United States v. Zizzo, 120 F.3d 1338, 1361 (7th Cir.1997); United States v. Schweihs, 971 F.2d 1302, 1316-17 (7th Cir.1992). 59 The defendants dispute their connection or membership with organized crime and argue that the unsworn statements of informants, the identity of whom has not been disclosed by the government, cannot provide a sustainable basis for an upward departure. We disagree. Due Process does not prohibit the use at sentencing of out-of-court declarations by unidentified informants where those statements are supported by sufficient corroboration. United States v. Fatico, 579 F.2d 707, 713 (2d Cir.1978). The Hanhardt stipulation, DeStefano's agreement, the crimes, and the participants in them, all corroborated the informants. Id. By all this evidence, it is more likely than not that the conspirators are participants in organized crime. Id. Therefore, we affirm the upward departure for connection to organized crime as to Basinski, Altobello, and Brown. 60