BROOKLYN (CN) — A former Nassau County detective intentionally lied to federal agents to protect the Bonanno organized crime family, prosecutors said during closing arguments Monday.
Hector Rosario, 51, faces trial for obstruction of justice and making false statements to an FBI agent in relation to the scheme. According to prosecutors, he attempted to intimidate rival mafia families into shutting down their gambling parlors in exchange for cash payments.
“The defendant, Hector Rosario, is a corrupt cop who sold his badge to the Bonanno crime family, and then he lied to cover it up,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sherman said during closings.
According to previous witness testimony, Rosario was paid approximately $8,000 in cash by Bonanno crime associates over the course of a couple months for his efforts. But despite his attempts to intimidate rival crime families, prosecutors say Rosario only managed to raid one of the illegal gambling parlors successfully.
That parlor, known as Sal’s Shoe Repair, was run by the Genovese crime family and belonged to Salvatore Rubino, otherwise known as “Sal the Shoemaker.”
But when interviewed by the FBI in 2020, prosecutors say Rosario denied having any knowledge of that parlor, the locations of other illegal gambling parlors around Long Island, or any additional information regarding the organized crime families.
“He lied to protect the Bonanno crime family, and he lied to protect himself,” Sherman said.
The Bonanno and Genovese crime families have dominated New York City crime for decades as two of the infamous “Five Families,” alongside and in competition with the Colombo, Gambino, and Lucchese families.
While still in operation, these criminal organizations aren’t nearly as active as they used to be due to the federal racketeering law that largely eradicated mafia activity and successfully induced many former mafia members to turn into government cooperators.
Prosecutors also say Rosario lied about knowing certain members of the Bonanno crime family, including Damiano Zummo, who testified that Rosario warned him that federal agents were investigating him.
“The defendant helped them evade the law, time and time again,” Sherman said.
But Rosario sees it differently, and his attorney argued that the government’s case is riddled with plot holes.
“Do not fill the gaps they left in the case,” Kestine Thiele, an attorney for Rosario, said Monday.
Thiele argued that the government hardly spent any time focusing on Rosario’s role in this case and instead pointed to the mafia’s numerous criminal activities throughout trial, including money laundering, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking.
She added that three of the prosecution’s witnesses, former mafia associates who signed cooperation agreements with the government, shouldn’t be trusted.
“How can the government ask you to trust these three?” Thiele asked.
In particular, she said that the only reason they were testifying was because of the possibility that they might evade prison time in exchange for complying with the government. All three still await sentencing for drug trafficking and racketeering charges.
But the government asserted they weren’t hiding the witnesses’ previous criminal history, but that doesn’t discount them as credible witnesses.
“These cooperating witnesses testified at this trial because they’re self-interested, and they didn’t hide that from you,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophia Suarez said.
While trial is ongoing, Rosario is out on a $500,000 bond. He faces up to 25 years in prison altogether.
U.S. District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano, a George W. Bush nominee, is presiding.