NYC cops convicted of murders they did for the Mafia Original Article Mafia moonlighters guilty in killings NYPD detectives worked as hitmen Larry McShane Associated Press Apr. 7, 2006 12:00 AM NEW YORK - Two highly decorated former detectives were convicted Thursday of moonlighting as hitmen for the mob in one of the most sensational cases of police corruption in New York history. Louis Eppolito, 57, and Steven Caracappa, 64, could get life in prison for their roles in eight murders committed from 1986 to 1990 while they were simultaneously on the payroll of both the NYPD and Luchese crime family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso. Federal prosecutor Daniel Wenner described the case as "the bloodiest, most violent betrayal of the badge this city has ever seen." Prosecutors said the two men carried out two hits themselves after pulling the victims over in traffic stops and delivered up some of the other victims to the Mafia to be killed. Neither defendant showed any emotion during the 10 minutes it took the jury forewoman to reply "proven" 70 times to the racketeering acts they were accused of. The verdict was reached after two days of deliberations. The defendants' $5 million bail was revoked, and they were led off to jail to await sentencing May 22. The men's lawyers said they will appeal. "It's an appearance of justice, but it's not justice," said Bruce Cutler, who once represented John Gotti and put on a thundering defense of the two former officers, claiming the government's mob witnesses were lying to save their necks. Prosecutors said the two used their law enforcement positions to help the Mafia at a price of $4,000 per month, more if they personally handled a killing. They received $65,000 for one of those slayings, prosecutors said. The two officers also supplied Casso with inside information on law enforcement interest in the mob, prosecutors said. Casso was said to have referred to the two men as his "crystal ball." They were convicted of charges that included racketeering conspiracy, witness tampering, witness retaliation and obstruction of justice. Caracappa, who retired in 1992, helped establish the Police Department's unit for Mafia murder investigations. Eppolito, the son of a Gambino crime family member, was a much-praised street officer, although there were suggestions that some arrests resulted from tips from mobsters. In his autobiography, Mafia Cop, he portrayed himself as an honest official from a crooked family. Eppolito also played a bit part in the mob movie GoodFellas. After retiring in 1990, he unsuccessfully tried his hand at Hollywood scriptwriting. The ex-detectives insisted on their innocence. But neither took the stand at their trial.