Richard Riccardi, and Luigi Grasso are victims of a Justice system gone awry. If this is Justice the every Police Officer who was present during the Eric garner Strangulation on Staten Island should get life in prison

Mob associates who didn’t shoot victim in fatal robbery receive heavy jail sentences from Brooklyn judge

Brooklyn Federal Judge John Gleeson said it didn’t matter that Richard Riccardi, 41, and Luigi Grasso, 46, weren’t the triggermen in a 2010 robbery that killed a check casher. Both men were given over 30 years in prison for their roles in the death of James Donovan. Donovan was shot by Hector Pagan, Jr., the ex-husband of 'Mob Wives' star Renee Graziano.

BY JOHN MARZULLI 

 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

 

Friday, August 1, 2014, 10:31 PM

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JEFFERSON SIEGEL/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSLuigi Grasso (center) is escorted into Manhattan Supreme Court Dec. 16, 2013. Grasso was given 38 years in prison, but could have gotten a life sentence.

Two mob associates were slammed with heavy jail sentences by a Brooklyn judge who said it didn’t matter that they weren’t triggermen in the fatal robbery of a check casher carrying $200,000 in his backpack.

Richard Riccardi and Luigi Grasso planned the robbery with Bonanno associate Hector Pagan, Jr., the ex-husband of “Mob Wives” star Renee Graziano.

HANDOUTRichard Riccardi faced life in prison, but was sentenced to 36 years instead.

Pagan shot James Donovan in the back on July 2, 2010. Pagan later became a government snitch and testified against his crime partners.

“I understand that you think you were less culpable (than Pagan),” said Federal Judge John Gleeson. “I don’t see any meaningful difference in blame that should be placed for the murder.

“You chose a life of crime. A man is dead. It’s a natural consequence of the life you chose for yourself,” the judge said before giving Grasso 38 years and Riccardi 36 years. They could have gotten life in prison.

“Mob Wives” was represented in the courtroom by another star of the show, Angela (Big Ang) Raiola, but the bodacious bar owner was there to support Grasso. Raiola said she was a “cousin” of the convicted killer and was there to support his 16-year-old daughter Gianna.

With video crew in tow, Raiola said she thought the sentences were “horrible” and called Pagan “a rat.”