A New York grand jury Tuesday indicted a rabbi and two associates on first-degree murder charges in the slaying of a former cop and his nephew.
Former Lloyd police sergeant Francis Piscopo, 49, and his nephew Gerald Piscopo, 28, of Highland, were found dead November 4 from gunshot wounds inside a vacant house on Liberty Street in Newburgh, about 60 miles (97km) north of New York City.
According to an indictment, three men — Victor Koltun, 41, of Bayville, NJ, who has said he is a rabbi; Frank Lewis, 56, of Brooklyn; and Craig Fennell, 51, of New York City — conspired to kill the Piscopos in a murder-for-hire plot.
“The allegation is that Koltun hired the others to kill the Piscopos,” District Attorney Frank Phillips said.
The men were charged with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree conspiracy and a felony gun charge.
All three were being held without bail pending arraignment Wednesday before Judge Jeffrey G. Berry in Orange County Court.