# State ex rel. Napolitano v. Gravano, 204 Ariz. 106 (Ct. App. 2002)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/courtlistener-state-v-gravano-204-ariz-106/

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld forfeiture of Salvatore Gravano's royalties from the book "Underboss." The opinion records his 1991 federal RICO plea, his cooperation, his five-year sentence and placement in the federal witness protection program, and his February 24, 2000 arrest in Maricopa County.

Arizona Court of Appeals, decided December 24, 2002, in a civil racketeering forfeiture action brought by the State. Gravano is living; this page states only what the opinion says.

The opinion begins: "On February 24, 2000, appellant Salvatore Gravano, aka "Sammy the Bull," aka Jimmy Moran ("Gravano"), and others were arrested and charged in Maricopa County with state crimes related to the alleged distribution of MDMA." It continues: "in 1991, he pled guilty in federal court in New York to one count of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"). As a result of his plea agreement, under which he cooperated with law enforcement in the prosecution of others involved in organized crime, Gravano was sentenced to five years in prison and placed in the federal witness protection program."

The State sought forfeiture of his proceeds from "Underboss," published in 1997, as traceable to racketeering, including "the acts of murder and extortion that Gravano admitted as part of his 1991 plea agreement." The court held for the State: "The judgment of the trial court is affirmed." The opinion does not describe the federal Ecstasy prosecution or its sentence.

## Sources

- CourtListener (Free Law Project), text of the opinion: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2576465/state-ex-rel-napolitano-v-gravano/