For a year mobster Anthony Zottola Sr. sent thugs to beat, stab and finally shoot his father at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the Bronx to take over the $ real estate empire million dollars from the old man, prosecutors said Tuesday on the first day of the federal trial in Brooklyn.
At the request of his son, the elder Sylvester “Sally Daz” Zottola of 71 years was killed by the Bloods gang while sitting behind the wheel of his car waiting for coffee at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the Bronx on October 4, 550, his grandson’s birthday, said Assistant United States Attorney Devon Lash.
“Anthony could never have imagined that it would lead to the murder of his own family”.
Ilana Haramati, attorney for defendant Anthony Zottola Sr.
Immediately after the Gangster Busawn “Shelz” Shelton received word that the hit had been made, texted Zottola Sr. and asked, “Can we party today or tomorrow?” according to prosecutor Lash.
“Morning” Zottola replied. “It’s my little man’s birthday. I’ll take him to his favorite place McDonalds (after) to the movies. LOL. As if I ate those things. Thank you for being a great friend, my man”.
Zottola Sr. is on trial for the murder of his father and the attempted murder of his younger brother, Salvatore Zottola, of 45 years old, who survived a shooting on 11 July 2018 in front of his oceanfront home in the Bronx.
The accused gunman, Himen Ross, and his driver, Alfred López, are also on trial.
“Sally Daz” ran a network of illegal “Joker Poker” gaming machines throughout El Bronx for the mob, but his son had his eyes on his real estate business, which Salvatore Zottola testified Tuesday generated more than $1 million in rent a year.
Shelton featured in opening arguments, but is not on trial and may not take the stand at all. Last month she pleaded guilty to orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot. His plea deal, which does not include a cooperation deal, will put him behind bars at 35 at 39 years, highlighted Daily News.
Zottola Sr.’s attorney, Ilana Haramati, attributed the whole plot to the gang member Shelton. “A relationship with Shelton was… a way to avoid the mob extortion that her father had endured for more than 39 years. It was a way of getting his own protection from him,” she claimed.
“That was Anthony’s mistake. Anthony misjudged his so-called friends. They weren’t friends at all.” And he added: “Anthony could never have imagined that it would lead to the murder of his own family.”
La Cosa Nostra works through entities known as “families”, which in New York are five: Bonanno, Genovese, Luchese, Colombo and Gambino. Apparently the elder Zottola was an associate of Bonanno and Lucchese.
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