Little Silver, Oceanport Residents Among Those Charged in $1 Million-A-Week Gambling Ring

By Christopher Sheldon

Sixteen people, including residents of Oceanport and Little Silver,  have been arrested for their roles in a $1 million-a-week gambling ring that operated out of Monmouth County and used the Internet to track wagers, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators say they seized more than $500,000 in cash and a dozen vehicles after executing warrants in Monmouth, Somerset, Essex, and Hudson counties and in New York City over the past week.

Richard Crossan, 55, of Hillsborough, and Anthony Gagliardi, 38, of Monmouth Beach, led the racketeering enterprise that promoted gambling and laundered money, acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said in a news release.

Among the 25 people charged with gambling or drug offenses in the 18 month investigation, dubbed “Operation Shore Bet,” was Anthony Benyola, 43, who is the deputy public works director in Toms River, a job he has held for the past five years.

Benyola, charged with racketeering, gambling and financial facilitation, has been suspended with pay, according to Toms River Business Administrator Paul Shives.

“Anthony was a good, trusted employee, but we haven’t received word on the official charges yet, so it’s difficult to discuss this matter yet,” Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher said Tuesday.

Members of the gambling ring used Monmouth County banks to launder money, while other members sold drugs to an undercover detective from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, according to prosecutors.

Authorities said the ring used “sophisticated electronic resources,” including websites to track wagering and record profits and losses. They did not release details of how the network operated or if it had any connection to organized crime.  

The investigation also uncovered a conspiracy to sell the prescription drugs oxycodone and Vicodin, as well as marijuana, Gramiccioni said in the release.

While executing a warrant last week at the Long Branch home of Anthony Carlesimo, 40, officers found two pounds of marijuana, about 50 oxycodone pills, more than $23,000 in cash, digital scales and drug paraphernalia, prosecutors said.

Search warrants executed on Monday resulted in the seizure of more than $77,000 and at least 300 Vicodin pills at the Cliffside Park home of Thomas Floriani, authorities said. More than $150,000 was seized from Gagliardi, and a BMW and Lexus were seized at the Toms River home of Benyola, prosecutors said.

The 22 people in custody were expected to appear Tuesday afternoon in Monmouth County Superior Court. Three others remained at large.

Charged were:

• Richard Crossan, 54, of Hillsborough - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set $2 million cash only with a bail source hearing required.

• Anthony Gagliardi, 38, Monmouth Beach - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set $2 million cash only with a bail source hearing required.

• Anthony Carlesimo, 40, of Long Branch - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity, and drug distribution and possession. His bail was set at $1 million with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Louis Carlesimo, Jr., 80, of Long Branch - Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. He was released on his own recognizance.

• Anthony Benyola, 43, of Toms River - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling,  Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Jean Pierre DaSilva, 31, of Oceanport - Racketeering Conspiracy and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $500,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Thomas Floriani, 68, of Cliffside Park - Racketeering Conspiracy,  Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $1 million with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Vincent Fragale, Jr., 58, of Shrewsbury Township -  Racketeering Conspiracy,  Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at  $750,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Jordan Huthwaite, 27, of Little Silver - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling,  Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Richard Macciola, 38, of Manalapan - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Patrick Martin, 48, of West Long Branch - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity .. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Joseph Mazzarella, 73, of New York City - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $1 million with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Anthony Pintabona, 75, of Secaucus - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $1 million with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Solomon Saka, 39, of Long Branch - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Christopher Thomas, 40, of the Port Monmouth - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $750,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Patrick Yerves, 32, of Sea Bright - Racketeering Conspiracy, Promoting Gambling, Possession of Gambling Records and Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity. His bail was set at $200,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• William D. Baroska, 54, of Ocean Township - Drug distribution and possession. His bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Justin Coppola, 43, of West Long Branch - Drug possession and distribution. His bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Anthony DeBlase, 53, of Colts Neck - Drug possession and distribution. His bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Steven Demussi, 50, of Dunellen - Drug possession and distribution. His bail was set at $100,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

• Peggy Peduto, 39, of Long Branch - Drug possession and distribution. She was released on her own recognizance.

• Rosemary Sanchez, 53, of Long Branch - Drug possession and distribution. Her bail was set at $10,000 with no 10 percent option with a bail source hearing required.

Three men charged remained at-large Tuesday, though authorities did not say what crimes they have been charged with:

• Edward Cichoski, 60, of Wall

• Pasquale Dellomo, 41, of Miami

• Nuno C. Oliveira, 38, of Asbury Park

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office requested anyone with information on the case call 1-800-533-1443.

The investigation was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asbury Park, Deal, Freehold Township, Howell, Marlboro, Ocean, Red Bank and Wall Police Departments.