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Though his lawyer argued the drug is mainstream, mobster Salvatore Larca has been sentenced to 9.5 years behind bars for running an illegal marijuana distribution business.
The reputed Genovese crime family member admitted to running the operation from the Bronx, New York.
Manhattan Federal Judge Richard Sullivan sentenced the 45-year-old for his role, which reportedly involved "Mama's Boys of the Bronx" reality television star Zoccolillo and three sons of notorious mafia boss Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basicanio.
Larca’s attorney had asked for an 84-month sentence stating that "society's views, and corresponding laws for the drug involved, marijuana, has been drastically changed over the last five years — quite possibly even to the point of being legalized in the United States within the next ten years or so, if not sooner."
"Marijuana, I think our society is having second thoughts and a new conversation about … but this case is not really about marijuana. It's about trafficking," the judge said.
Larca had previously been indicted for his role in a 2005 federal RICO case where “members and associates engaged in numerous acts of violence and other crimes, including murder; conspiracy to commit murder; extortion; labor racketeering; obstruction of justice; money laundering; narcotics trafficking; loan sharking; and the operation of illegal gambling businesses.”
Previous to this, Larca was convicted in a court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, to wit, a conviction, on or about August 29, 1989, for criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony, in New York State Supreme Court, Westchester County, unlawfully, willfully, and knowingly did possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to wit, a Glock, model 17, 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol, which previously had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
