Their boss was known as “Papa Smurf’” but its his three mob associates who are feeling blue.
The three reputed mobsters are heading to jail after pleading guilty in Manhattan federal court today to be being part of a massive gangland effort to control the lucrative garbage-carting industry in the Big Apple and its suburbs.
Dominick “Pepe” Pietranico, Joseph Sarcinella and William Cali copped to being players in a scheme where rival Mafia families banded together to circumvent official efforts to clean up the trash business — and used strong-arm tactics to shake down the owners of legitimate companies and secretly assume ownership of their operations.
They were among 32 people — including reputed ringleader and Genovese crime family associate Carmine “Papa Smurf” Franco — indicted in January in the scheme.
Both Pietranico, 83, of Mahopac, NY, and Sarcinella, 79, of Scarsdale, admitted making extortionate extensions of credit. Both face a top range of roughly three years prison.
Cali, 59, of Queens, admitted to extortion and faces up to 2 ¹/₂ years in prison. Asking to explain his crime, Cali told Judge Kevin Castel that he threatened a government witness to significantly jack up interest on a $12,500 loan if he didn’t pay up quickly.
“I made him understand if he didn’t pay me it would not be good,” he said.
All three are set to be sentenced Jan. 9