Camorra and Politics: The Sarno Case

There was no agreement between the Camorra and politics in Sarno between 2013 and 2014. The accusation of political-mafia electoral exchange against Franco Annunziata (defended by lawyer Rodolfo Viserta), the former mayoral candidate in Sarno, was dropped after the trial. The Anti-Mafia DDA accused him of making an electoral pact with members of the Serino Camorra clan. Yesterday, the verdict was issued in the afternoon by the II Collegio of the Nocera Inferiore Court. With the ruling, the judges did not recognize the existence of the Camorra group, considering the elements from the trial - as well as the investigations - insufficient for the crime of mafia association. The prosecution had requested 15 convictions, the court issued 6. The highest sentence was for Gianluigi Serino, at 14 years and 10 months of imprisonment. It will take ninety days to read the reasons for the sentence and understand the court's reasoning, which acquitted the rest of the defendants. Among these, Aniello, Michelina and Nicola Serino, Francesco Manzo, Salvatore Nesta, Vincenzo Lapelazzuli, Pompeo Delli Bovi, Luigi Parlato, Raffaele Vitiello, Franco Della Cava, Francesco Paolo La Rocca and Albero Aniello. Finally, there was no case to answer for Giuseppe Inchico, Elia Angelo and Luigi Cerzosimo. Among the defenses of the acquitted defendants are lawyers Carmine Guadagno, Federico Cioffi, Nicola Naponiello and Giovanni Annunziata. The same defendants found guilty, however, were acquitted of further episodes. Among the charges that held, however, are drug trafficking and simple drug dealing. During the period covered by the investigations, the work of the Ros Carabinieri focused on the criminal interests of the Serino clan. Investigators were following an entrepreneur from Naples, who allegedly imposed the installation of video poker machines in the Agro with one of the defendants (among the acquitted). According to the accusations - partly reduced during the Review phase and then in Cassation - the alleged clan had diversified interests in the Municipality of Sarno. In addition to drugs and extortion, the group attempted to infiltrate the economic fabric of the territory. Also attempting to make agreements with various mayoral candidates of the time. For the DDA, the agreement with Franco Annunziata was proven by the content of some environmental wiretaps. According to the prosecution's theory, the goal was to exploit 'connections with entrepreneurs in the industrial area' and thus establish a direct line with the future municipal administration. The Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office's hypothesis was not proven, nor did it find confirmation in the continuation of the trial, given the acquittal sentence because the fact does not exist.