Bonanno Associate Faces 40 Years For Selling $40,000 Worth Of Cocaine
EXPANDED Bonanno family associate Salvatore Russo, 46, copped a plea Thursday for using a Manhattan gelato shop to sell narcotics—and faces up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. He plead guilty to distributing more than 500 grams—about $40,000 worth—of coke. Under terms of his deal with Brooklyn federal prosecutors, he will serve a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, which he can appeal if he gets slapped with more time. “He’s accepted his responsibility and hopes for the best,” defense lawyer Joseph Conway said outside court. The beefy wiseguy is reportedly a naturalized US citizen who speaks with a Sicilian accent He remains free on $500,000 bond pending his unscheduled sentencing. He was busted last year in a coordinated, cross-border crackdown on mobsters operating in both the US and Canada. He was indicted with reputed acting Bonanno captain Damiano Zummo, who was caught participating in a 2015 Mafia induction ceremony in Canada that was s...