Mob cops ordered back to NYC
BY ANTHONY M. DESTEFANO AND STEVE FREISS
March 11, 2005
Two retired New York detectives accused of selling their badges to the mob were ordered Friday night to be transferred from Las Vegas to Brooklyn to face charges of taking part in 11 murders and attempted murders.
Federal Magistrate Lawrence Leavitt ordered Louis Eppolito, 56, and Stephen Caracappa, 63, held without bail until federal marshals can transport them to Brooklyn for arraignment. No date was set for their transfers but they are expected within the next 10 days.
Saying the evidence against the two involves "very serious allegations of violence and injustice," Leavitt denied defense motions that the defendants be released on house arrest with electronic monitoring.
"The court easily finds by clear and convincing evidence that these defendants pose a danger to this community and have definitely shown a willingness to violate their sacred trust as police officers," the judge ruled.
Eppolito and Caracappa, who moved to Las Vegas after their retirements, were arrested by FBI agents Wednesday night at Piero's, an Italian restaurant just off the Las Vegas Strip, on charges they were mob associates who had a hand in eight murders, two attempted murders and one murder conspiracy.
As their clients stood mute in court, defense lawyers Richard Schonfeld and David Chesnoff argued that the crimes charged occurred 15 years ago and that both men have lived law-abiding lives in Las Vegas for 10 years.
The lawyers said prosecutors were relying on "scurrilous mobsters" who conjured up false allegations about the two men.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Henoch of Brooklyn said FBI agents who searched Eppolito's home found numerous photographs showing that Eppolito has longtime ties with several known mob figures.
He also said agents found 116 firearms in Eppolito's home. Eppolito's attorney said the guns were part of a legitimate arms collection.
Henoch said the case against the two is based on information supplied by several cooperating witnesses, including cops as well as civilians, tape recordings and videotapes. "The evidence is simply overwhelming," he said.
"They have betrayed their oath, desecrated the Police Department of New York and clandestinely engaged in a pattern of corruption and murder," Henoch told the court.
Eppolito was on the police force from August 1969 to February 1990, while Caracappa was on the force from June 1969 until November 1992. Four and possibly five of the homicides in which the pair allegedly played a role occurred while they were with the NYPD.
The indictment unsealed Thursday in Brooklyn charged them with compromising numerous investigations and tipping off mobsters about impending arrests.
Moving to Las Vegas, the pair settled into life as model neighbors, family men and suburbanites. Eppolito came here first, buying in 1992 the largest lot in a small, posh subdivision on the southwest outskirts called Spanish Palms.
There, Eppolito, his wife, three children and a mastiff named Caesar enjoyed a 4,000-square-foot, two-story spread with the only pool in the 30-home neighborhood.
Eppolito continued his writing career, appeared in a few films and entertained constantly. Among his guests were cast members of the HBO mob drama "Sopranos" and his home office is decorated with photos of himself with TV and movie stars, neighbors said.
Caracappa followed Eppolito a year later, building a home directly across the street for his wife, daughter and two cats. Until his arrest, his daily routine was to rise early to go to his job for a company that pre-wires buildings for security systems and was frequently in bed so early that "his wife was always complaining," said Carmen Lee, a neighbor who serves on the homeowners association board with Monica Singleton-Caracappa.
Lee said the Caracappas were known in the neighborhood for taking in stray animals and for taking leisurely walks around the block.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbors," said Carmen's husband, Troy. "Steve is one of the kindest people you'll ever know. These are real stay-at-home people."
Anthony M. DeStefano is a staff writer. Steve Freiss is a freelance writer in Las Vegas.
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March 11, 2005
Two retired New York detectives accused of selling their badges to the mob were ordered Friday night to be transferred from Las Vegas to Brooklyn to face charges of taking part in 11 murders and attempted murders.
Federal Magistrate Lawrence Leavitt ordered Louis Eppolito, 56, and Stephen Caracappa, 63, held without bail until federal marshals can transport them to Brooklyn for arraignment. No date was set for their transfers but they are expected within the next 10 days.
Saying the evidence against the two involves "very serious allegations of violence and injustice," Leavitt denied defense motions that the defendants be released on house arrest with electronic monitoring.
"The court easily finds by clear and convincing evidence that these defendants pose a danger to this community and have definitely shown a willingness to violate their sacred trust as police officers," the judge ruled.
Eppolito and Caracappa, who moved to Las Vegas after their retirements, were arrested by FBI agents Wednesday night at Piero's, an Italian restaurant just off the Las Vegas Strip, on charges they were mob associates who had a hand in eight murders, two attempted murders and one murder conspiracy.
As their clients stood mute in court, defense lawyers Richard Schonfeld and David Chesnoff argued that the crimes charged occurred 15 years ago and that both men have lived law-abiding lives in Las Vegas for 10 years.
The lawyers said prosecutors were relying on "scurrilous mobsters" who conjured up false allegations about the two men.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Henoch of Brooklyn said FBI agents who searched Eppolito's home found numerous photographs showing that Eppolito has longtime ties with several known mob figures.
He also said agents found 116 firearms in Eppolito's home. Eppolito's attorney said the guns were part of a legitimate arms collection.
Henoch said the case against the two is based on information supplied by several cooperating witnesses, including cops as well as civilians, tape recordings and videotapes. "The evidence is simply overwhelming," he said.
"They have betrayed their oath, desecrated the Police Department of New York and clandestinely engaged in a pattern of corruption and murder," Henoch told the court.
Eppolito was on the police force from August 1969 to February 1990, while Caracappa was on the force from June 1969 until November 1992. Four and possibly five of the homicides in which the pair allegedly played a role occurred while they were with the NYPD.
The indictment unsealed Thursday in Brooklyn charged them with compromising numerous investigations and tipping off mobsters about impending arrests.
Moving to Las Vegas, the pair settled into life as model neighbors, family men and suburbanites. Eppolito came here first, buying in 1992 the largest lot in a small, posh subdivision on the southwest outskirts called Spanish Palms.
There, Eppolito, his wife, three children and a mastiff named Caesar enjoyed a 4,000-square-foot, two-story spread with the only pool in the 30-home neighborhood.
Eppolito continued his writing career, appeared in a few films and entertained constantly. Among his guests were cast members of the HBO mob drama "Sopranos" and his home office is decorated with photos of himself with TV and movie stars, neighbors said.
Caracappa followed Eppolito a year later, building a home directly across the street for his wife, daughter and two cats. Until his arrest, his daily routine was to rise early to go to his job for a company that pre-wires buildings for security systems and was frequently in bed so early that "his wife was always complaining," said Carmen Lee, a neighbor who serves on the homeowners association board with Monica Singleton-Caracappa.
Lee said the Caracappas were known in the neighborhood for taking in stray animals and for taking leisurely walks around the block.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbors," said Carmen's husband, Troy. "Steve is one of the kindest people you'll ever know. These are real stay-at-home people."
Anthony M. DeStefano is a staff writer. Steve Freiss is a freelance writer in Las Vegas.
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