TOMS RIVER, NJ – The owner of Toms River’s Roxy’s Bar and Grille says he and his wife were threatened by mobsters from the Gambino crime family and confronted outside the restaurant on September 1st. According to the Department of Justice, two men who are now facing federal charges confronted the couple, threatened to burn down the restaurant.
This week, a federal court in Brooklyn unsealed a 16-count indictment against ten individuals charged with racketeering, extortion, and other crimes in an attempt to control the New York carting and demolition industries. The defendants, alleged members, and associates of organized crime, including the Gambino family, were taken into custody ahead of arraignments before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr.
Two of the accused were identified as the men who made the threats at the Toms River restaurant that sits in the former spot of Charlie Brown’s.
The operation involved collaboration with Italian authorities, arresting six more individuals involved in related criminal activities. An extensive investigation led to the execution of search warrants and the confiscation of multiple firearms linked to an associate of the Gambino crime family.
Among those indicted are Joseph Lanni, Diego Tantillo, Angelo Gradilone, and James LaForte, identified as members of the Gambino family, along with Vito Rappa, Francesco Vicari, Salvatore DiLorenzo, Robert Brooke, Kyle Johnson, and Vincent Minsquero, all purportedly connected to the family.
The charges were announced by a team of law enforcement leaders including Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and officials from the FBI, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the NYPD, and the NYC Business Integrity Commission.
The indictment alleges that the accused engaged in violent crimes such as extortions, assaults, arson, and witness retaliation to exert influence over the carting and demolition sectors. The criminal activities included the orchestration of a violent assault with a hammer and extortions involving threats with a bat, arson, and physical violence.
Furthermore, the defendants are accused of crimes against unions and employee benefit plans, including bid-rigging, theft, embezzlement, and the operation of “no-show” jobs to obtain union benefits unlawfully.
Law enforcement officials emphasize their dedication to dismantling organized crime and maintaining public safety. The coordinated efforts demonstrate a resolve to combat organized crime’s influence in key industries, as evidenced by today’s arrests and the ongoing investigations.