Four Long Island men are among seven reputed mobsters arrested for allegedly running loansharking, illegal gambling and drug dealing rings on LI and in Brooklyn over the past three years, authorities said.
Huntington residents John “Johnny Boy” Ambrosio, 74, and Anthony Rodolico, 46, were charged along with 67-year-old Anthony Saladino and 26-year-old Joseph Durso, both of Glen Cove. All are facing racketeering conspiracy charges in a 13-count indictment unsealed Tuesday at Central Islip federal court.
“The arrests in this case prove organized crime families haven’t gone away, and continue to plague our communities with their general disregard for anything other than their own greed,” said William Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the FBI’s New York Field office. “The overt deadly attacks that used to make headlines aren’t as prevalent, but their violent tactics haven’t changed.”
Authorities said Ambrosio is an acting captain in the Gambino family and the other suspects are associates of the Gambino family, except for 46-year-old Frank “Frankie Boy” Salerno Queens, an alleged soldier in the Bonanno family. The other two suspects from Queens are Alessandro “Sandro” Damelio, 49, and Thomas Anzalone, 44.
Suffolk County police also worked on the investigation into the mob’s illegitimate casino, illegal loan shark operation and distribution of cocaine and marijuana. Investigators used wiretapped phone conversations to make their case.
Recorded conversations between Saladino and Anzalone captured the men allegedly discussing that they would give debtors “something to be scared about” and warning debtors they “will never walk again.”
The gambling operations included illegal poker games, electronic gaming machines and internet sports betting run by Damelio, Durso, Salerno and Saladino. Ambrosio was recorded allegedly saying “you can play right here” and “save gas money” by not going to the casino.
Anzalone, Damelio, Durso, Saladino and Salerno were also accused of trafficking in wholesale quantities of cocaine, marijuana and Xanax.
Most of the suspects face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, except Saladino and Salerno, who face up to life in prison for the cocaine conspiracy offenses.
