Roofers Sentenced in Bribery, Intimidation
A federal judge Friday rejected pleas for leniency and handed down sentences of up to 15 years for union roofers convicted of bribing judges and intimidating contractors through violence.
The heaviest sentence fell on Stephen Traitz Jr., leader of Roofers Local 30-30B, who received 15 years, a $50,000 fine and five years of probation.
Traitz, his two sons and 10 other officials were convicted Nov. 23 of paying bribes to various city judges, paying off a federal safety official to harass non-union work sites and intimidating contractors by beatings and other means to force them to make payments to the union.
The government also contends that they acted as debt collectors for the Philadelphia-South Jersey organized crime family allegedly run by Nicodemo Scarfo.
U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz, who heard a litany of good deeds from attorneys for the men earlier Friday, also sentenced former union Vice President Robert Crosley and former business agent Michael Mangini to 10 years in prison. Former business agent Robert Medina received 14 years, and organizer and recording secretary Michael Daly received five years.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
