November 19, 1998

REPUTED "CAPO" IN BONNANO ORGANIZED CRIME SYNDICATE CONVICTED OF ENTERPRISE CORRUPTION IN OPERATION OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AUTO THEFT RING; FACES 25 YEAR PRISON TERM

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a reputed "captain" in the Bonnano organized crime syndicate has been convicted of enterprise corruption in connection with the operation of a multi-million dollar auto theft, dismantling and stolen parts distribution ring that operated in Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau and Suffolk counties until early 1995.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Vincent Asaro, 63, of 132-05 83rd Street, Ozone Park. He was convicted after a four week jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Robert C. McGann. The defendant was remanded to jail without bail pending sentencing on December 11th. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said, "Asaro's conviction is a significant victory because it represents one of the first convictions of capo in an organized crime family under New York's Organized Crime Control Act since its enactment in 1986. The defendant's conviction goes to the core of the auto theft industry in Queens, exposing a network of car thieves, dismantlers, receivers and suppliers who preyed on car owners to enrich themselves. Sixteen defendants, including the defendant Asaro, were prosecuted in connection with the enterprise, thirteen of whom have been convicted of felonies. In my view, the huge decrease in auto theft in Queens that we have seen between 1990 when over 50,000 vehicles were stolen here in Queens County and last year when there were 19,981 such thefts is due, at least in part, to our success in this and similar cases."

According to trial testimony, the automobile ring was controlled and protected by the defendant Asaro who received payments from his co-defendants who operated the business. The payments were in return for a "franchise" which included the right to operate and be protected from other criminals who would seek to encroach upon the business. During one three-month period, alone, from May 9, 1994 to August 11, 1994, the defendants stole, dismantled and re-sold parts from 21 late model vehicles stolen from the streets of Queens County. The vehicles stolen had a book value of $244,000, but were worth almost $1 million in parts. The scheme operated in the following manner: defendants routinely took orders over the telephone from other defendants for "noses" (front ends of vehicles), doors, fenders and other parts of specific makes and models of cars. The defendants would instruct car thieves in the scheme to steal the type of car required and would direct chop shop owners to dismantle the stolen car and deliver the required parts to men working as "parts receivers. At auto repair stores. Extra parts were inventoried, stockpiled and sold wherever possible."

District Attorney Brown said, "The auto crime problem in Queens County has its roots in organized crime and stems from the fact that so much money can be made in the organized theft of autos and the sale of their parts. Today's conviction should send the message to organized criminals that enterprises such as this organization can no longer thrive in Queens."

Deputy Bureau Chief Gerald A. Brave of the District Attorney's Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Brian J. Mich and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, prosecuted the case.