Lucchese Crime Family member sentenced to 30 months in prison for assaulting ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ star’s husband
NEWARK, NJ (Essex County) – A member of the Lucchese Crime Family was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in prison for planning and carrying out an aggravated assault on the husband of one of the former stars of the Bravo television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” according to acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig.
John Perna, 44, of Cedar Grove, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count One of an indictment charging him with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity.Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today by videoconference. The indictment also charges Thomas Manzo, 56, of Franklin Lakes, Honig said.
According to documents filed in his case and his statements made in court, in the spring of 2015, Manzo, one of the owners of the Brownstone Restaurant in Paterson, New Jersey, and the ex-husband of the Bravo star, hired Perna to assault his ex-wife’s new boyfriend (now husband) in exchange for a deeply discounted wedding reception to be held at Manzo’s upscale Passaic County venue.
Perna, who is a member of the Lucchese Crime Family, planned and carried out the assault on July 18, 2015, with the help of a member of his crew. Perna was armed with a “slapjack” during the assault. In exchange for committing the assault, Perna held a lavish wedding reception at Manzo’s restaurant a month later for a fraction of the price he would otherwise have paid. The reception was attended by over 330 guests, many of whom were members of the Lucchese Crime Family, according to documents filed in his case and his statements made in court
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Perna to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $17,816 in restitution, Honig said.
