NEW HAVEN, CT — Anthony “The Genius” Megale’s life reads superficially like a boy done good fairy tale – but in this case, the boy went bad.The simple sanitation worker and father of three children rose to become one of New York mob syndicate John Gotti’s top men in Connecticut, assisting the Fairfield County Gambino family in what has been revealed to be a racketeering conspiracy that included extorting money from an area strip club owner.

Although Megale and his attorney downplayed the importance of his crimes and denied any association with the Mafia, U.S. District Court Judge Janet Bond Arterton concluded that the one-time garbage collector had dedicated himself to a career running a crime syndicate, including the monthly shakedown of a Stamford strip club owner for $2,000, while issuing threats about what would happen if the money was not paid.

The 86-month prison sentence hinged upon a series of secretly recorded FBI tapes that included such things as information about one man’s Mafia induction ceremony and details about the Gambino family hierarchy, as well as Megale claiming that he was “over everybody” within his capacity as Gambino underboss and threatening the club owner during a conversation to set up payments.

“They’ll come in and wreck the joint,” Megale’s voice was heard to say. “We do that downtown.”

Megale’s plea deal allowed him to distance himself from a 1989 admission of being a member of the mob, although U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Connor insisted that the tapes make the association clear.

Although his tearful children begged Arterton for leniency when sentencing their father, the reclining, smiling, and winking Megale had few words for the court. “I got nothing to say, your honor. I just want to apologize to my family and my kids. That’s all.”