A longtime associate of the Gambino crime family has been indicted for his role in a racketeering conspiracy, including allegedly shooting a man to death in Queens more than 10 years ago.
After starting out at a young age as a member of a street gang and serving several years in prison, Gennaro “Jerry” Bruno, now 41, became a Gambino associate, according to officials. For 14 years, up until his arrest Tuesday, he allegedly took part in an array of crimes for the organized crime family, including drug trafficking and extortion.
When Bruno’s criminal associate Martin Bosshart began efforts to exclude one of Bruno’s co-conspirators from a marijuana import operation, Bruno plotted with other Gambino members and associates to murder Bosshart, authorities said.
On the night of Jan. 2, 2002, Bruno and others lured Bosshart to an isolated location in Queens, specifically Howard Beach, according to the Daily News. He then allegedly shot 30-year-old Bosshart in the back of the head. His body was recovered at the scene.
Officials from the FBI and United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said as Bruno evaded arrest for years, he “conspired with other Gambino associates to “obstruct an official grand jury proceeding into the Bosshart murder.” He also allegedly continued his racketeering activity and extracted payments from the owner of a waste carting company in Queens.
Bruno has been indicted on charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of murder, narcotics trafficking, extortion and obstruction of justice, according to officials. As of Wednesday, removal proceedings to New York were still underway for Bruno, who was arrested in Las Vegas, where he is currently living.
In April 2012, a fellow Gambino associate Todd LaBarca pleaded guilty to racketeering, with predicate acts of conspiracy to murder Martin Bosshart, narcotics trafficking, extortion and bookmaking, as well as conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering.
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