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'Mafia cops' face life in prison
06/06/2006 08:18 - (SA)
New York - A judge told two decorated former detectives on Monday that they will get the maximum sentence - life in prison - for moonlighting as hit men for the mob.
US District Judge Jack B. Weinstein said he would not formally impose the sentence on Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa until at least June 23. At that time, the defendants will argue they were not adequately represented by their lawyers at their trial.
"This is probably the most heinous series of crimes ever tried in this courthouse," the judge said.
The two former partners were convicted in April of participating in eight slayings between 1986 and 1990 while simultaneously on the payroll of the New York Police Department and the Luchese crime family.
Prosecutors said the detectives committed some of the murders themselves, and delivered up other victims to the Mafia to be killed.
Eppolito, 57, and Caracappa, 64, received $4 000 a month from Luchese underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, who also used them to get inside information on law enforcement investigations.
Their pay went up for the murders: They earned $65 000 for one killing.
Federal prosecutor Daniel Wenner had described the case as "the bloodiest, most violent betrayal of the badge this city has ever seen".
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