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Two Gotti relatives plead guilty

By Howard Koplowitz

Two relatives of the late Gambino crime family boss and Howard Beach resident John Gotti pleaded guilty Friday to the attempted murder of a Queens man, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn said.

Gotti's brother, Vincent Gotti, 55, of Cedarhurst, L.I., and nephew, Richard Gotti, 40, of Valley Stream, L.I., face a maximum of 10 years in prison when they are scheduled to be sentenced in October before Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Jack B. Weinstein, said Robert Nardoza, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

The identity of the Queens man whom Vincent and Richard Gotti admitted they plotted to kill was not released by the U.S. attorney's office.

But the man was identified in news reports as Angelo Mugnolo. He allegedly had an affair with Vincent Gotti's wife, according to the New York Post.

Mugnolo, a Howard Beach resident who owns two bagel stores in the borough, was shot twice in the chest as he started his car outside his Howard Beach home at 157-36 83rd St. on May 4, 2003, police said.

The shots were fired into Mugnolo's driver's side window from a green Ford Explorere, police said.

He survived the shooting and was able to call 911, police said.

Mugnolo's neighbors were mum when asked to comment at the time of the shooting.

Keith Dodson, a 32-year-old Malverne, L.I. man, was arrested about three months after the shooting, police said.

Nardoza would not comment on Dodson or if the Long Island man had any ties to organized crime .

Vincent Gotti ordered the hit on the man while Richard Gotti and a third man attempted to carry out the murder, the Post said. The indictment gave the same date that Mugnolo was shot but only identified the victim as “John Doe #5.”

A third alleged Gambino member, Angelo Ruggiero, Jr., was also charged with the attempted murder, according to the indictment.

The Gottis were two of 62 reputed Gambino crime family members indicted in a massive sweep of organized crime in February.

Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.