Eighteen convictions with sentences of up to twenty years in prison and 4 acquittals. This, in summary, is the sentence of the abbreviated trial resulting from the Scolacium investigation which beheaded the clans that had imposed “absolute control” over the territory from Squillace to Catanzaro.
THE NAMES
The magistrate Arianna Roccia sentenced Bruno Abbruzzo to 7 years and 4 months; Pietro Abbruzzo, 11 years, 11 months in prison; Luciano Babbino, 6 years and 4,445 fine; Stefano Bevilacqua, 3 years, 4 months in prison and a 660 euro fine; Francesco Bruno, 11 years and 4 months in prison; Matteo Catroppa, 1 year, 4 months, 20 days in prison and a fine of 344 euros; Rocco Ceravolo, 6 months and 103 euro fine, suspended sentence; Massimo Citraro, 11 years, 8 months in prison; Giuseppe Critofaro, 6 years and 8 months in prison; for the repentant Salvatore Danieli, 4 years, 4 months and 1300 fine; Domenico Falcone, 3 years, 4 months, 1230 fine; Gennaro Felicetta, 20 years in prison; for the justice collaborator Sandro Ielapi, 4 years and 8 months in prison; Simone Macario, 4 years, 8 months, 18,067 fine; for the justice collaborator Santo Mirarchi, 1 year and 4 months; Antonio Paradiso, 8 years in prison; Vincenzo Tolone, 9 years and 4 months in prison; Danilo Vitellio, 11 years, 8 months.
However, Paolo Bova was acquitted, because the fact did not exist, (defended by the lawyer Sergio Rotundo) for him the DDA had requested a sentence of 4 years and 5 months; Davide Cristofaro, “for not having committed the facts”, co-defended by the lawyers Antonio Stivala and Giovanni Merante (the DDA had asked for 8 years, 6 months and 20 thousand fines); Franco Macario, defended by lawyers Saverio Loiero and Andre Gatto (the DDA had asked for 5 years and 4 months and a fine of 17 thousand euros). For Ilario Sestito, defended by the lawyers Marco Sinopoli and Saverio Pittelli, the preliminary hearing judge ruled that there should be no prosecution because the crime was extinguished due to lack of prosecutability (the DDA had requested 2 years and 4 months). The preliminary hearing judge also awarded compensation for damages to the civil parties constituted by the Ministry of the Interior and the anti-racket and usury commissioner. The compensation for the former president of the regional anti-ndrangheta commission, Arturo Bova, will also be quantified in civil proceedings. The investigation revealed the motive and perpetrators of the two car fires suffered by the former mayor of Amaroni and regional councilor at the time.
THE ACCUSATIONS
The defendants are accused in various capacities of mafia-type criminal association, damage following fire, attempted extortion, extortion, weapons crimes, possession of drugs for the purpose of dealing, damage, personal injury, private violence, receiving stolen goods, theft. Two gangs in particular were affected by the DDA operation: the Catarisanos who controlled the area of Roccelletta di Borgia up to the industrial area of Germeneto, and the Brunos who extended their tentacles from Vallefiorita to Amaroni and Squillace. Nothing in their respective territories of competence could happen without the approval of the clan. All commercial and entrepreneurial activities did not escape the suffocating grip of crime, from the forestry sector to trade, from restaurant activities to tourist facilities, the extortion system spared no one.