NEWS AFFAIRS 7 : WHERE EVERY STORY HAS IT'S AFFAIR!
A former New York police officer who became a drug dealer was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for the 2016 murders of four men, federal prosecutors announced on Monday.
Nicholas Tartaglione, 56, suspected Martin Luna of stealing from him in 2016. Tartaglione lured Luna into a trap and, along with others, killed Luna and three men who were with him, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated, “Nicholas Tartaglione brutally murdered Martin Luna over money, and then killed Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez simply because they were with him.”
A jury found Tartaglione guilty in April 2023 of 11 counts of murder, four counts of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of kidnapping conspiracy, and one count of narcotics conspiracy.
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Tartaglione, who once served as a police officer in Briarcliff Manor, suspected Martin Luna of stealing $250,000. He tortured and strangled Luna with a zip tie. He then took Luna’s nephews, Urbano Santiago and Miguel Luna, and family friend Hector Gutierrez to a wooded area, forced them to kneel, and shot them in the back of the head.
Prosecutors described the murders as “monstrous,” explaining that the three men were killed because they witnessed Luna’s murder. The bodies were buried on Tartaglione’s property in Otisville, New York, and were discovered by an FBI task force in December 2021.
Tartaglione’s attorney, Inga Parsons, stated they are appealing the decision and continue to fight for his innocence. Tartaglione had previously filed for a new trial, claiming his legal counsel failed to challenge crucial evidence, but the motion was denied.
Tartaglione was also known for selling steroids to bodybuilders, including Joseph Biggs and Gerard Benderoth, who helped in the killings. Biggs and Benderoth each shot one of the men. Benderoth has since died, and Biggs was sentenced to over 16 years in prison after pleading guilty.
Two other men, Jason Sullivan and Marcos Cruz, were also involved. Sullivan received a 10-year sentence, while Cruz was sentenced to time already served.
