Gene Gotti

Eugene Gotti (born 1946) is a former American New York mobster with the Gambino crime family who was a major drug trafficker.

Gene Gotti
FBI mugshot of Gene Gotti's August 1983 arrest
Born
Eugene Gotti

1946 (age 73–74)
New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationMobster
Spouse(s)Rosalie Gotti
Children3
Relatives
AllegianceGambino crime family
Conviction(s)Drug trafficking (1989)
Criminal penalty50 years' imprisonment

Background

Gotti was born to John and Fannie Gotti, Gene has four brothers: John Gotti, Peter Gotti, Richard V. Gotti, and Vincent Gotti. All the brothers grew up in East New York, Brooklyn and became involved with organized crime.[1] Gotti was said by John Cummings and Ernest Volkman in Goombata, "He was noted for his inability to comprehend even the simplest statement addressed to him, and people dealing with him learned to speak slowly and repeatedly." He attended Franklin K. Lane High School with the other Gotti brothers. Gotti has a wife, Rosalie, and three children and 8 grandchildren; his family home is in Valley Stream, New York.[1]

Around 1966, Gotti became an associate with the Gambino family. In 1969, Gotti was convicted of theft from an interstate shipment and was sent to federal prison for three months. In 1973, Gotti was convicted in state court of illegal possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in state prison.[1]

Family rise

Gene became a made man in 1976, working with his brother, John, in his South Ozone Park crew.[2]

Gotti carried out truck hijackings at Idlewild Airport (subsequently renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport) together with his brother John and friend Angelo Ruggiero.[3] In August 1983, Ruggiero and Gotti were arrested for dealing heroin, based primarily on recordings from a bug in Ruggiero's house.[4][5] Boss Paul Castellano, who had banned made men from his family from dealing drugs under threat of death, demanded transcripts of the tapes,[4][6] and, when Ruggiero refused, threatened to demote his brother John.[7]

On March 13, 1987, Gene Gotti and brother John, were acquitted on federal racketeering charges involving illegal gambling, murder and other charges.[8]

Prison and release

On May 24, 1989, after two mistrials, Gene was convicted of running a multimillion-dollar heroin smuggling ring. The first mistrial was for jury tampering, and the second mistrial was a hung jury. Two jurors were dismissed from the third trial, including an alternate who said he received a threatening visit from two men.[9]

On July 8, 1989, Gene was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison. After his sentencing, the Gambino family demoted Gene from capo to soldier because he was in prison.[10][11]

Gene Gotti was imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution, Pollock, in Pollock, Louisiana, from 1989 to 2018.

Gene was released on September 14, 2018, when he was 71 years old, after serving 29 years of his sentence.[12]

Gene Gotti is portrayed by actor Scott Cohen in the 1996 HBO television movie Gotti. He was played by actor Joseph Siravo in the 1998 made-for-TV film Witness to the Mob.

Further reading
  • Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti by Gene Mustain & Jerry Capeci in 2002, ISBN 0-02-864416-6.
  • Gotti: The Rise & Fall by Jerry Capeci in 1996, ISBN 0-451-40681-8.
  • Mafia Dynasty: The Rise & Fall of the Gambino Crime Family by John H. Davis in 1994, ISBN 0-06-109184-7.
  • Goombata: The Improbable Rise and Fall of John Gotti and His Gang by John Cummings and Ernest Volkman
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References
  1. Raab, Selwyn (February 16, 1988). "Gotti's Brother Called Rising Star in Gambino Mob". New York Times. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  2. Davis, p. 185
  3. Raab, p. 354
  4. Davis, p. 216
  5. Capeci, Mustain (1996), p. 77
  6. Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 79–80
  7. Davis, p 238
  8. Buder, Leonard (March 14, 1987). "Gotti is Aquitted (sic) in Conspiracy Case Involving the Mob". New York Times. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  9. Gendar, Alison (October 15, 2009). "Intimidating Jurors Was the Gotti Way, Tapes Reveal in Junior Gotti Trial". New York Daily News. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  10. Morgan, Thomas (1989-05-24). "Gene Gotti Guilty in Heroin and Racketeering Case". New York Times. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  11. Howe, Marvine (1989-07-08). "Gotti's Brother Is Sentenced To 50 Years". New York Times. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  12. "Inmate Locator: Gene Gotti". Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
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