Conservative Supreme Court justices just delivered a major blow to organized crime in America. A landmark ruling against a Genovese crime family associate confirms that planning violence is enough for harsher sentencing, even if the criminal deed wasn’t completed.
At a glance:
• The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to uphold extra prison time for Genovese crime family associate Salvatore “Fat Sal” Delligatti
• Delligatti had hired Crips gang members and provided them with a .38 revolver to murder a suspected informant
• Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, with conservative justices largely backing tougher penalties
• Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch in dissent
• The ruling clarifies that conspiracy to commit violence qualifies as a “crime of violence” under federal law
Supreme Court Backs Tough-on-Crime Approach
The Supreme Court has dealt a significant blow to organized crime with its 7-2 decision upholding extended prison time for Genovese crime family associate Salvatore “Fat Sal” Delligatti. The ruling supports the Justice Department’s ability to add mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving firearms, even when the planned violence never actually occurred.
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, made it clear that planning violence and providing the means to carry it out constitutes a “crime of violence” under federal law. “Whenever someone knowingly causes physical harm, he uses force within the meaning of the law,” Thomas wrote in the decision.
Mob Associate’s Failed Murder Plot Exposed
Delligatti, known in mob circles as “Fat Sal,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he hired Crips gang members to murder Joseph Bonelli. The targeted hit was ordered because Bonelli was suspected of cooperating with authorities against bookmakers connected to the Genovese crime family’s gambling operations.
Court documents revealed that Delligatti provided the gang members with a .38 caliber revolver to carry out the hit. Fortunately, law enforcement intercepted the gang members before they could execute their murderous plan, preventing what would have been a cold-blooded killing.
The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by traditional organized crime families and their willingness to coordinate with street gangs. Delligatti’s five-year mandatory minimum sentence for the firearms charge was specifically contested in the Supreme Court challenge.
Liberal Justice Teams Up With Gorsuch in Dissent
Notably, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch broke ranks to dissent, joined by liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Gorsuch’s dissent compared Delligatti’s case to a negligent lifeguard, questioning whether inaction truly constitutes a “crime of violence.”
“Instead of leaping into action, the lifeguard chooses to settle back in his chair, twirl his whistle, and watch the swimmer slip away,” Gorsuch wrote. “The lifeguard is a bad man… But does the lifeguard’s offense also qualify as a ‘crime of violence’? The court thinks so. I do not.”
The Supreme Court’s decision gives federal prosecutors a powerful tool against organized crime families by allowing enhanced sentencing even when violence is only planned. This ruling will help law enforcement disrupt criminal networks before innocent people are harmed, sending a clear message that conspiracy alone carries severe consequences.
