Ferraro Son Gets 4 Months in Jail Despite Mom’s Plea

John Zaccaro Jr., son of 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee Geraldine A. Ferraro, was sentenced today to four months in jail for selling cocaine, despite his mother’s tearful plea he had been punished enough.

U.S. District Judge Francis McCaffrey also fined Zaccaro $1,500 and ordered him to perform 3,000 hours of community service.

Just before being sentenced, Zaccaro told the judge: “I’m truly sorry for my mistake. I’m truly sorry for the pain and suffering I’ve caused my family.”

With his voice cracking, Zaccaro said, “I’d like to make a personal pledge to you and my family, that I will never again be involved in drugs or any illegality.”

His mother earlier tearfully pleaded with the judge not to send her son to jail, saying that he had already been punished enough and that she was “terrified” for him to go to jail.

The prosecutor asked for some jail time to send a message that selling drugs will result in imprisonment.

“You as an individual are not the cause of all these problems,” the judge said before imposing the sentence. “You are, however, a part of it and you must accept responsibility for your portion.”

Zaccaro, who was a senior at Middlebury College, where he was known as “the pharmacist,” was convicted April 9 for selling $25 worth of cocaine to an undercover police officer in February, 1986.

Ferraro had begged the judge not to send her son to jail.

“My son has been punished enough. I want him back. I want him back so we can start our lives over again.”

Ferraro said her son’s arrest and conviction have taken a heavy toll on her family and her son.

“He doesn’t go to church with us,” she said. “He doesn’t want to be seen with us. It’s not because he’s ashamed of us. It’s because he’s ashamed of what he’s done.”

A priest testified earlier today that Zaccaro matured remarkably after doing volunteer work with homeless youngsters on the streets and said that sending him to jail would not be a deterrent to others selling drugs.

Addison County State’s Atty. John Quinn asked the judge, however, to send Zaccaro to jail.

“I hope the message the court sends today is that if you sell drugs in Vermont you go to jail.”

After the conviction, Ferraro claimed her unsuccessful bid for the vice presidency under Walter Mondale made her son “a target.” Quinn denied the charge.

Mondale also put in a good word for Zaccaro. He said in a letter to the court, “I saw him as a very fine young man who quickly became good friends with our children and who campaigned in a spirited and strong way around our nation.”