Anthony Mascuzzio, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 7 years in prison on Friday for his role in two 2016 bank burglaries.
Mascuzzio was part of a crew that burglarized an HSBC bank in Brooklyn and a Maspeth Federal Savings Bank in Queens. They used oxygen and acetylene torches to cut through the roofs and into the vaults of both banks. According to prosecutors, the total amount of the loss is almost $21 million.
The crew also included Michael Mazzara, Charles Kerrigan, and Christopher Kerrigan.
Mazzara was sentenced to 11 years in prison on April 13, Charles Kerrigan was sentenced to 17 years in prison on April 11, and Christopher Kerrigan was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison on March 30.
At the time of the burglaries, Mascuzzio was on supervised release as a result of a 2012 conviction for drug trafficking and conspiracy to transport and sell stolen property. According to court records, he was part of a group that stole around $1 million in electronics from retail stores and used the proceeds to fund the purchase of large amounts of marijuana that they transported from Arizona to New York.
Mascuzzio also has a prior conviction from 2012 for the attempted burglary of another HSBC bank in Queens.
The government’s evidence against Anthony Mascuzzio
When authorities searched Mascuzzio’s residence and vehicle on the day of his arrest in July 2016, they found $1.5 million in cash, a duffel bag containing several pieces of jewelry, a 1958 Topps Ted Williams baseball card, and an expensive watch, among other items.
The evidence against Mascuzzio and his co-defendants also includes surveillance footage, telephone records, and financial records.
In November 2014, the FBI placed a video camera on a utility pole across the street from Mazzara’s home. It had a view of Mazzara’s residence, an adjacent building owned by his parents, and the street and sidewalk in front of both buildings.
The pole camera captured the defendants preparing for the burglaries and dividing up the proceeds at Mazzara’s residence.
Surveillance footage from the pole camera shows Mascuzzio and Charles Kerrigan loading a Shop-Vac box into a black Honda Pilot at 5:26 PM on Friday, April 8, 2016, the day the HSBC burglary started. Surveillance footage from the bank shows Mazzara and Charles Kerrigan taking the Shop-Vac and two acetylene tanks out of the black Pilot and carrying them into the vacant storefront next to the bank at 10:45 PM the same day.
Anthony Mascuzzio’s sentencing hearing
During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benet Kearney said that Mascuzzio deserved credit for returning several pieces of Judaica that were taken from the HSBC bank. She went on to talk about the incredible impact of the crimes on the victims. Kearney pointed out that Mascuzzio has a history of committing similar offenses, and he was on supervised release at the time of the burglaries. She suggested that a lengthy sentence is appropriate.
James Kousouros, Mascuzzio’s attorney, started out by acknowledging the significant impact on the victims. He described how his client’s behavior changed after listening to the victims at a session held in March. According to Kousouros, Mascuzzio is deeply affected by the suffering he has caused his victims, he is sincerely remorseful, and he has reached his breaking point.
Kousouros said that most people have two sides, and referred to Mascuzzio’s rough upbringing and his father’s demise to explain his bad side. He said the other side of Mascuzzio is that he’s a good husband and a good father. Kousouros asked the judge to consider both sides when rendering her sentence.
“I know that you must look at me and say here we go again. I don’t blame you . . . but while you say here we go again, I say never again.”
-Anthony Mascuzzio
Mascuzzio stood and took a sip of water before addressing the court. He apologized and said he’s not good with words.
Mascuzzio said this time is different because the victims lost items with sentimental value that can’t be replaced. He claimed that he can’t sleep at night after hearing about his victims’ suffering, and that he will always be sorry.
Mascuzzio told the judge that he understands his victims’ loss because he will experience a loss of time spent with his wife and kids who he loves more than anything in the world.
He referred to his rough upbringing and praised his ailing mother. Mascuzzio said this life has done nothing but put him in jail. He ended his statement by apologizing to the victims and his family.
Judge Forrest hands down reduced sentence
Before handing down her sentence, U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest referred to a letter that Mascuzzio submitted that acknowledged that the crime affected individuals, not just financial institutions. She talked about the emotional impact on the victims who lost personal items that can’t be replaced.
Judge Forrest explained that she sees a lot of criminals, and every one says they’ll never do it again, but there’s only a small group who have changed. She said Mascuzzio seems sincere, but he’s a complex person with a history of stealing from banks, and he was on supervised release when he committed the offenses.
“Next time you go to jail, you’ll probably die in jail just because your body will probably give out.”
-Judge Katherine Forrest
After rendering her sentence, Judge Forrest explained that it’s a significant downward variance because Mascuzzio may be one of the people who have changed, and because he returned stolen items.
Mascuzzio’s sentence includes 3 years of supervised release, payment of restitution, and forfeiture of property and proceeds traceable to the offenses.
Judge Forrest ended the proceeding with a warning to Mascuzzio. She told him that he’ll be in front of her for supervised release, she has no patience for people who violate supervised release, and if he violates she’ll remember him.