AFP Nov 24 08:35 PM
US/Eastern
FBI agents arrested eight members
of New York's Luchese organized crime family Monday on illegal gambling and
narcotics charges, the federal prosecutor said.
An
acting "capo" in the Luchese family and seven others were nabbed, US Attorney
Michael Garcia said.
Anthony
Croce, the man described as the capo, faces a maximum sentence of five years
prison if convicted on the gambling charges.
Three
others face heavier sentences of between five and 40 years if convicted on
cocaine distribution charges, the prosecutor said.
New
York's five mafia crime families -- the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and
Luchese -- have taken big hits in the last decade as veteran leaders died and
turncoats helped the authorities make strings of arrests.
This
August, New York police arrested the alleged former capo of the Gambinos, John
"Junior" Gotti. He is due to be tried in Florida on racketeering
charges.