North Hollywood Man Given 12-Year Term for Day-Long Crime Spree

A 27-year-old North Hollywood man received the maximum sentence for a 24-hour crime spree during which he attacked the wife of a state Court of Appeal justice.

Anthony Mallotti was sentenced Thursday in San Fernando Superior Court to 12 years and eight months in state prison for five felonies, including the residential robbery of Tanya Gates, wife of Appellate Judge Donald N. Gates.

Mallotti pleaded guilty last month to two counts of residential burglary, two counts of grand theft auto and one count of kidnaping, with the special allegation of great bodily injury to Tanya Gates.

Mallotti said he was high on cocaine throughout the crime spree, which began June 29, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Ken Barshop.

Mallotti broke into Gates’ Northridge home and threatened to kill a maid if she tried to stop him from stealing the Gates’ possessions, according to court documents.

When Tanya Gates arrived home and confronted Mallotti, he punched her in the face, breaking her nose, Barshop said.

Mallotti fled in Gates’ car, which he later abandoned. Early the next morning, he hijacked a car driven by Javier Ortega in San Fernando. Holding him at knifepoint, Mallotti forced Ortega to drive him around the area for several hours in search of drugs and money, Barshop said.

Mallotti also ordered Ortega to call Ortega’s friends and ask them to bring money, according to court documents. Ortega contacted police, who arrested Mallotti.