PHOENIX — Former Mafia hit man and turncoat Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano has been released from prison after serving most of a 20-year sentence for overseeing an Arizona Ecstasy ring.
Gravano, 72, had been serving concurrent terms issued for drug-related convictions on federal charges in New York and state charges in Arizona.
Thomas Farinella, an attorney for Gravano, said he was released Monday.
“He’s in good health, in good spirits,” Farinella added. “He’s just focused on re-acclimating with society. ... A lot’s happened in 17 years.”
Mafia hit man and turncoat Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is escorted to jail by a Phoenix police officer on Feb. 24, 2000, after raids on a criminal syndicate dealing in the designer drug Ecstasy. Gravano was booked into Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of drug trafficking. (Photo: Michael Ging/The Republic)
In an article quoting Gravano's daughter and attorney, the New York Post reported Wednesday that the former mob underboss was paroled from an Arizona prison.
Farinella would not divulge where his client was most recently incarcerated or where he plans to live.
Andrew Wilder, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections, said Gravano was released from the state prison system in 2016 but had remained incarcerated federally until this month.
U.S. Bureau of Prisons officials could not be reached to clarify where Gravano most recently served time.
Under his federal conviction, Gravano faces lifetime parole. He also remains under Arizona supervision until March 2019, Wilder said.
While serving as an underboss with New York's Gambino crime family, Gravano took part in 19 homicides and oversaw a vast enterprise of extortion, fraud and other felonies.
Gravano, 72, had been serving concurrent terms issued for drug-related convictions on federal charges in New York and state charges in Arizona.
Thomas Farinella, an attorney for Gravano, said he was released Monday.
“He’s in good health, in good spirits,” Farinella added. “He’s just focused on re-acclimating with society. ... A lot’s happened in 17 years.”
Mafia hit man and turncoat Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is escorted to jail by a Phoenix police officer on Feb. 24, 2000, after raids on a criminal syndicate dealing in the designer drug Ecstasy. Gravano was booked into Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of drug trafficking. (Photo: Michael Ging/The Republic)In an article quoting Gravano's daughter and attorney, the New York Post reported Wednesday that the former mob underboss was paroled from an Arizona prison.
Farinella would not divulge where his client was most recently incarcerated or where he plans to live.
Andrew Wilder, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections, said Gravano was released from the state prison system in 2016 but had remained incarcerated federally until this month.
U.S. Bureau of Prisons officials could not be reached to clarify where Gravano most recently served time.
Under his federal conviction, Gravano faces lifetime parole. He also remains under Arizona supervision until March 2019, Wilder said.
While serving as an underboss with New York's Gambino crime family, Gravano took part in 19 homicides and oversaw a vast enterprise of extortion, fraud and other felonies.
