7 Convicted as Part of Violent Gambino Crew

Seven men were convicted of racketeering Wednesday after a 15-month trial for their roles in a violent Gambino organized crime family crew responsible for at least 11 murders.

The federal court jury deliberated for 12 days before finding the defendants guilty of narcotics trafficking, pornography, auto theft, loan sharking and extortion.

Among the murder victims were witnesses and intermediaries for Florida drug dealers. One victim was dismembered and his body parts left in a garbage bag behind a store in Queens.

It was one of the longest trials in federal history. Testimony came from more than 200 witnesses, who described 17 murders and other criminal acts.

The case, which dates from a 1984 indictment, is one of the last trials stemming from a series of widely publicized, mob-related prosecutions brought by then-U.S. Atty. Rudolph W. Giuliani.

The seven convicted defendants are Anthony Senter, 34; Ronald Ustica, 44; Sol Hellman, 63; Joseph Testa, 34; Salvatore Mangialino, 52; Douglas Rega, 39, and Carlo Profeta, whose age was unavailable.

Prosecutors alleged that the crew was headed by Roy DeMeo, who was killed by gang members in a power struggle in 1983.

Another key defendant, Anthony Gaggi, died of natural causes during the case. Gaggi was identified as a captain of the Gambino family who was a close adviser to Paul Castellano, an alleged former Gambino family leader who was slain in 1985.