Pubdate: Sat, 30 Jun 2001
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Alan Feuer

GRAVANO PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG SALES IN ARIZONA

Salvatore Gravano -- Mafia hit man, government witness, recidivist criminal 
- -- closed the unlikely second act of his life of crime yesterday by 
pleading guilty in Phoenix to selling thousands of Ecstasy pills.

Mr. Gravano, who is known as Sammy the Bull, also pleaded guilty to a 
money-laundering charge and a weapons offense. He appeared in Maricopa 
County Superior Court with his wife, Debra, and his two grown children, 
Karen and Gerard, who each admitted to helping him run what the authorities 
called the biggest Ecstasy ring ever to operate in Arizona.

Mr. Gravano moved to Arizona as part of the witness protection program 
after testifying against John J. Gotti, his former boss in the Gambino 
crime family, in 1992. He lived in Tempe under the name Jimmy Moran and ran 
a swimming pool installation business while his wife managed an Italian 
restaurant called Uncle Sal's.

By 1998, however, Mr. Gravano had left federal protection and started 
dealing Ecstasy with his son, Gerard, and a young business partner, Michael 
Papa. Mr. Gravano, the man who betrayed nearly 40 of his old mob cronies, 
was himself betrayed when Mr. Papa, facing prison time, decided to become a 
government witness in May.

That same month, both the younger and elder Gravanos pleaded guilty to 
federal drug charges in Brooklyn that stemmed from the Arizona case. 
Federal prosecutors maintain that the Gravanos had bought a large portion 
of their Ecstasy from a New York supplier who had ties to the Israeli mob.

Under his plea agreement with Arizona, Salvatore Gravano, 55, faces 15 to 
20 years in prison, three or four times the 5 years he served for his 
involvement in 19 murders as a gangland killer. He could be sent to prison 
for up to 15 years on the federal charge, but he will be allowed to serve 
that sentence concurrent to the sentence for the Arizona charges, Arizona 
prosecutors said. His sentencings on the state and federal charges are 
scheduled for September.

Gerard Gravano, 25, faces about nine years in prison on the state drug 
charges. He, too, will be sentenced in September and serve his state and 
federal prison terms at the same time.

Debra Gravano pleaded guilty to one count of illegally conducting a 
criminal enterprise. She is likely to serve five years on probation, 
prosecutors said. The Gravanos' daughter, Karen, admitted to making phone 
calls as part of the drug conspiracy, and she will probably serve three 
years on probation. The women are to be sentenced on Aug. 31.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens