Gabriel Rom

grom@lohud.com

A small-time Rockland mobster was sentenced Tuesday by a federal judge to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his part in racketeering gambling and extortion conspiracy schemes.

Michael Palazzolo, described by prosecutors as a low-level "associate" in the Genovese crime family, was arrested in August 2014 along with mob capo Daniel Pagano on various extortion and illegal gambling charges.

ROCKLAND: Mobster pleads guilty to racketeering

ARREST: Reputed top mobster from Ramapo arrested

Pagano, who was sentenced to 27 months in prison last July, is the son of late Lower Hudson Valley mob boss Joseph Pagano. The 63-year-old was found to have committed numerous crimes between 2009 and August 2014 after an investigation that began with the Rockland County District Attorney's Office.

In court documents, Palazzolo's lawyers portrayed him as a "minor participant" working under Pagano, a "full-time" criminal and captain of the Genovese organized crime family.

"There is no legitimate reason why Mr. Palazzolo should receive a greater sentence than Mr. Pagano," wrote Palazzolo's lawyer Lloyd Epstein in a letter to Judge Abrams. "A defendant should receive a sentence which is proportionate to his role in the conspiracy ... Mr. Palazzolo's role, though serious, was subordinate to and considerably less than Mr. Pagano's."

Friends, co-workers and acquaintances of Palazzolo sent Judge Ronnie Abrams 22 letters pleading for leniency in his sentencing.

Twitter: @GabrielRom1