Bookies in Connecticut: The Case of the Stun Gun, Cattle Prod and Arson

Over the past four years there have been a number of high profile bookies charged in various Connecticut towns.  But it all came to a head this past January when John Barile of East Hartford was charged with burning down a Middletown restaurant for insurance fraud.  The crime he is accused of was actually committed five years previous.

At the time of his arrest, Barile was in possession of a stun gun and cattle prod.  He would later be released on bond. 

Barile, 51, is a reputed bookie but charges against him range from conspiracy, arson and fraud filed on Dec. 30, just hours before the statute of limitations ran out on criminal charges associated with an alleged January 2010 fire at his Enzo's Restaurant.  The restaurant regularly supplied pizzas to the neighboring police station.

It’s not that Barile has never been charged with bookmaking offenses.  Federal law enforcement had reportedly been monitoring his activities since 1994 when he was arrested along with other Genovese crime family members, part of a western New England branch based out of Hartford.  He would later be indicted for racketeering and accused of using threats of violence to collect gambling and loan shark debts.  Barile ultimately served a 30-month prison sentence.

Bookies are prevalent throughout the state, where the simple act of illegal gambling is considered a misdemeanor.  Law enforcement authorities typically tack on other more serious charges such as racketeering, conspiracy and racketeering, thus resulting in the potential for an extended period behind bars.

In 2011, the man accused of being the chief bookmaker in a gambling ring that included sports radio shock jock Sebastian, Paul Graziano, actually kept taking bets immediately following a police raid of his home. Local media reports made light of the “serious” nature of Graziano and his associates criminal activities.

One paper reported at the time:

Several of the defendants are accused of working for Graziano, but most  are charged only with illegal gambling and illegally transmitting gambling information.

Emphasis on the word “only”.

So where are they now?

Graziano, who was described in court records as “not being a typical sports bookie”. He had no known affiliations with the mob, had no criminal record, never used threats or violence to collect from losers and never held out on customers who placed winning bets.

He would be charged with one of those “gambling plus” offenses, in this case, money laundering. 

Graziano plead guilty and received a 15 month jail sentence, half that of Barile before him.

Sentencing Judge Vanessa L. Bryant was more concerned with Graziano's income than his business model when imposing sentence, the Hartford Courant noted at the time.

"Mr. Graziano has not paid taxes, has not contributed to the well-being of our society, has not contributed to the security of our nation, has not contributed to the highway system on which he travels in his illegal activities," Bryant said. "There is no honor among thieves. A thief is a thief."

As for Barile, presuming he is found guilty, is likely to receive a stiffer sentence than that which was handed down some years ago, a result of his "repeat offender" status.

Under the terms of his release on bail, Barile is confined to his residence, but permitted to work for a relative's landscaping business.

- Alejandro Botticelli, Gambling911.com