By Howard Koplowitz
A reputed mob associate was one of two men indicted Monday in the 2009 murder of the son of an Ozone Park pizzeria owner who was coming to his father’s aid during a botched home robbery, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Francis LaCorte, 29, of Ozone Park, was one of more than 120 reputed made members and mafia associates rounded up in January in the largest organized crime bust in U.S. history, although it was unclear which crime family LaCorte was working for, the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan said at the time of the arrests.
LaCorte, along with Vincent Mineo, also 29, were indicted on charges of murdering 29-year-old Gerardo Antoniello during a push-in robbery at the home of Bartolomeo Antoniello, owner of Romeo’s Pizza on Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach, the DA said.
Bartolomeo Antoniello, was undergoing cancer treatment at the time of the incident, died in March 2010.
His house was targeted because the suspects notice Bartolomeo Antoniello carrying large amounts and cash from his business to his home.
LaCorte and Mineo allegedly met between Sept. 5, 2009, and Sept. 9, 2009, to discuss and plan the home invasion of the pizzeria owner and allegedly identified the house to accomplices, whom they gave duct tape and a loaded gun to carry out the plan, Brown said.
As Bartolomeo Antoniello arrived home from Romeo’s Pizza, the robbers allegedly approached him and forced their way into the pizzeria owner’s home, the DA said.
A struggle allegedly ensued as Gerardo Antoniello came to his father’s aid and one of the robbers allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the 29-year-old in the head before fleeing empty-handed, Brown said.
Brown said Mineo and LaCorte allegedly conspired to rob two other Queens homes between Aug. 6, 2009, and Sept. 5, 2009, and carried out the plans during the week of Aug. 13, 2009, and the other Sept. 5, 2009, restraining the homeowners and robbing them of cash and personal property at gunpoint, the DA said.
LaCorte was arraigned Monday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard Buchter and ordered held without bail, Brown said.
Mineo was arraigned May 11 before Buchter, who set bail at $1 million in cash or a $2.5 million secured bond, the DA said.
The men face up to 80 years to life in prison if convicted of charges of murder, attempted robbery, attempted burglary, robbery and conspiracy, Brown said.
Both men were expected to return to court Aug. 26.
“According to the charges, the defendants orchestrated, planned and executed three separate home robberies, one of which culminated in the untimely death of a young man who bravely went to his father’s aid during one of the robberies,” Brown said in a statement. “These crimes are one more shocking example of mindless violence that takes innocent lives and recklessly endangers public safety. The charges against the defendants will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Two other men had been charged earlier in connection with Gerardo Antoniello’s death, the DA said.
Jason Burrell, 39, of 1586 Remsen Ave. in Brooklyn, and Rashod Cowan, 32, of 236 E. 197th St. in the Bronx, were arrested Dec. 24, 2009, and charged with murder, the DA said.
Both men were ordered held without bail, the DA said.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
