Mar 17 2007
As police tapes rolled, conversation flowed at cafe
Del Balso called the company and spoke to Ryan Holden, telling Holden he needed a “high-level” security vehicle that was “full bulletproof.”
Holden told him he had a level B-5 vehicle capable of stopping shots from an AK-47. Del Balso agreed to buy two and told Holden a car leasing company would call him and make the arrangements.
During the next six weeks, del Balso and his partner, Lorenzo Giordano, spent most of their time holed up at the Bar Laennec and were never seen without their bodyguards, according to court documents.
Police saw them handling guns and recorded this conversation:
Del Balso: “What you have?”
Ennio Bruni (another bodyguard): “A .38.”
Del Balso: “The old f—–g cop.”
Bruni: “That’s the best one, that’s the best one. … How you’re gonna miss? It’s dead. You crank it one time.”
Del Balso: “Yeah, relax. How many you have?”
Bruni: “Ten shots. Ten. It’s only 10 shots over there. Here you only have five or six.”
The police bug picked up the sound of a shot.
Bruni (apparently referring to the gun’s magazine): “Bro, this is f—–g nice one. … Once you place it inside, it loads the gun automatically.”
Del Balso: “That’s what I want…”
Bruni: “The best gun to have is a .22, the long one.”
Del Balso: “Long nose …”
Bruni: “.357, short nose, that’s a power you don’t miss. The first shot that you’re getting, the first one you’re … you make him a hole like this.”
Gambling
Gambling debts were an important problem at the Consenza.
One man, Frank Faustini, owed $800,000. The men of the Consenza claimed that he had previously won about $1.3 million, which he stashed in a bank in the Bahamas. Now he owed them $800,000 and was slow to pay.
