A former detective from New York who worked part-time for a mafia group and contributed to a minor mob conflict in Long Island while safeguarding its betting activities was found guilty on Wednesday for providing false information to the FBI.
Hector Rosario, aged 51, a former detective with the Nassau County police department in Long Island, was cleared of the more serious charge of obstructing justice, which was the primary accusation against him. This decision was made following a week-long trial held in federal court in Brooklyn.
“Hector Rosario prioritized enriching himself with money from the Bonanno family and shielding his personal concerns over upholding the law,” remarked Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “He shamefully undermined the investigative efforts of his colleagues by alerting a potential target and provided untruthful statements to federal investigators as the pressure mounted on him.”
A former New York detective moonlighted by working for a mafia family and helped fuel a mini-mob war on Long Island while trying to protect its gambling operations. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM)
U.S. Attorney John Durham called Rosario, a 15-year police veteran, a “corrupt detective” who chose loyalty to the mob “over the public he was sworn to protect.”
He was interviewed by FBI agents in 2020 as they were investigating Bonanno and Genovese criminal activity in the suburbs east of New York City. He falsely stated he had no information about the mafia or illegal gambling spots, authorities said.
Rosario was fired from the force in 2022. He was among nine charged after federal authorities busted the gambling racket. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
Rosario was fired from the force in 2022. He was among nine charged after federal authorities busted the gambling racket.
His lawyers argued the case hinged on the unreliable testimony of mobsters now cooperating with prosecutors as they faced their own criminal charges.
The other mafia clans in New York are the Colombo, Gambino and Lucchese families.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
