BOSTON
Two alleged members of the New England Family of La Cosa Nostra were sentenced in federal court in Boston this week in connection with extorting a video poker machines business, according to officials.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris sentenced Anthony Spagnolo, 74, of Revere, to 20 months in prison and order a fine of $5,000.
On March 24, 2016, Pryce Quintina, 76, of Revere, was sentenced to15 months in prison. In December 2015, both men plead guilty to conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by extortion.
According to the evidence, in November 2012, Moose Lodge, a social club in Revere, wanted to replace its existing video poker machines, supplied by Constitution Vending Company, with new video poker machines.
Constitution paid Spagnolo and Quintina to protect their video poker machines in social clubs, including the Moose Lodge. Moose Lodge intended to replace Constitution’s aging machines with new ones – a move that would decrease Constitution’s profits and potentially cause Spagnolo and Quintina to receive less protection money.
In response, Spagnolo and Quintina met with the manager of Moose Lodge and told him that Constitution’s machines “were not going anywhere.” As a result of this threat, the Moose Lodge did not replace those machines.
The case is part of a multi-year investigation into La Cosa Nostra operations in Eastern Massachusetts.
As a result of the investigation, five individuals have been convicted.
Louis DiNunzio, 29, of Medford, who the government alleges is also a member of the La Cosa Nostra, Joseph Spagnuolo-Kazonis, 30, of Boston, and John Woodman, 43, of Braintree, were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
In addition, John Evans, 68, of Middleborough, and Joseph Petrucelli, 24, of Winthrop, were convicted of conducting an illegal gambling business.