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Members of Bootleg Ring, Twelve in Number, Receive Sentences Today. Tax Fraud Estimated at $2,500,000. Twelve men, including two former Treasury Department revenue agents, a former Dutchess county deputy sheriff and a former Dutchess county magistrate, were convicted on May 11 on charges of conspiring to defraud the Federal and State goverments of liquor taxes amounting to $2,500,000 through a bootleg ring in Dutchess county. Six and a quarter hours after it had been given the case by Judge Vincent Leibell, a Federal court jury returned the verdict of guilty. Two men were acquitted. Three others entered pleas of guilty either before or during the trial which began on Apil 10. Judge Leibell permitted the defend ants to remain free in bail until May 18, when he will sentence them and the men who have entered pleas of guilty. Twelve Who Were Convicted Those convicted were George Har wood, former deputy sheriff; Henry Wicker, chief jailer of the Dutchess county jail; John T. Collins, former investigator for the Federal alcohol tax unit; John F. Keilly, former alco hol tax investigator; Ellis Robinson, former justice of the peace in Stan fordsville, N. Y.; Frank Benedetto, of 237 East 115th street; Philip Hoag, R. F. D. mail carrier of Poughquag, N. Y.; Louis Kumpfbeck of York avenue, Manhattan; Louis Lubrano of Cliffside, N. J.; Mike Napolitano of Wingdale, N. Y.; Mike Saccarmnando of Poughkeep sie and Alexander Wurst of Fairview, N. J. Berafino Ciccone of Pleasant Valley, N. Y., and Nick Guastello of 135 Main street, Wappingers Falls, were acquit ted. Those who have pleaded guilty are George Mittleman of 3834 Bouck ave nue, the Bronx; Chalmer Becker, spe cial Dutchess county deputy sheriff, of Red Hook, N. Y., and Emanuel Eisen bein, of Ridgewood, N. J. Possible Penalties Each of those convicted, with the exception of Harwood, faces possible imprisonment for two years and a fine up to $10,000. Harwood, convicted under the conspiracy count and three other counts alleging possession of stills, faces a possible eight-year pri son term and fines totaling $16,000. Evidence produced by the Govern ment tended to show that the ring operated at least twelve illicit stills continuously from November, 1936, to May, 1938, mostly in Dutchess county, where Federal and county officials supplied protection. Testimony indicated at least 320,000 gallons of 190 proof alcohol was pro duced on which Federal and State taxes would have amounted to $2,500, 000. The ring arranged payoffs to of ficials and farmers and moved the stills frequently. The two Federal agents assigned to Dutchess county countenanced the op erations, as did Deputy Sheriff Becker and Jailor Wicker, the Government contended, while Robinson acted as front man when the stills were oper ated near Stanfordville. Forced out of Dutchess county by an investigation by special federal agents, the group came to New York and moved into a loft building at 24 Downing street, where a number of the defendants were arrested in a raid.
Newspaper Details
Brewster Standard
Brewster, New York, US
Thu, May 18, 1939
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Susan A.
USA 06 Jun 2026
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