La Cosa Nostra mobster who staged robbery of N.J. pawn shop, dealt meth is going to prison

A Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra mobster was sentenced Thursday for staging a robbery of a New Jersey pawnshop and examine cashing enterprise so the proprietor may acquire insurance coverage cash, federal prosecutors mentioned.

Salvatore “Sam” Piccolo, 68, of Atlantic Metropolis, additionally has admitted that he sold nearly a half-pound of crystal meth to undercover FBI brokers, in keeping with an announcement from the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace.

Piccolo was sentenced to over 12 years in jail and was additionally ordered to pay $174,025 in restitution to the insurance coverage firm the store proprietor filed the declare with, Northland Insurance of Minnesota, officers mentioned

Clad in a nylon masks, Piccolo and an affiliate entered the pawnshop on April 19, 2014, chained the entrance doorways closed and pulled out a handgun, authorities mentioned.

They certain the proprietor after which stole money, jewellery and a gun from a secure within the enterprise, in keeping with the assertion. The proprietor claimed the secure contained $60,000 in money and ultimately was paid the $174,025 declare by the insurance coverage firm.

The cash was transferred from the insurance coverage firm’s Citibank account to the enterprise proprietor’s Financial institution of America account in November 2014, U.S. Lawyer Craig Carpenito mentioned within the assertion.

Piccolo additionally offered meth to undercover FBI brokers thrice in 2017; as soon as in Sicklerville restaurant car parking zone and twice in Atlantic Metropolis, federal prosecutors mentioned. The brokers paid him over $11,000 in money for the medicine.

Chris Sheldon could also be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Observe him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Discover NJ.com on Facebook.

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