Crime family ‘soldier’ back in prison following road rage incident

Jersey Gangster Beat Driver Who Allegedly Cut Him Off

May 18, 2017 By Paul Frangipane Special to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

A member of a New Jersey crime family, who was convicted on racketeering charges in 2011, is back in jail for a road rage incident that was caught on a dashboard cam. AP file photo

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An alleged member of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family was sentenced to 11 months in prison Thursday for violating supervised release after beating a driver on a New York highway.

Jerry Balzano, 54, was driving without a license on Route 17 in upstate New York when he stopped in front of a driver to get out of his car and beat him for allegedly cutting Balzano off in traffic. This was the second time Balzano violated his supervised release after he was convicted on racketeering charges in 2011.

Balzano addressed Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto in Brooklyn Federal Court on Thursday. “I just apologize to the court and my family,” Balzano said. “It got blown out of proportion and it’s just like a snowball effect.”

Matsumoto had Balzano arrested in court on March 8 after watching the video of Balzano beating the driver while the victim’s wife called 911 in a panic.

“I saw the video and it was sickening actually,” Matsumoto said. “It could have been a fatal accident.

The video shows Balzano cutting off the other driver, who had a dashboard camera, and running over to him. “You want to play f—— games, you little c—,” Balzano can be heard yelling in the video. “You want to cut me off like a tough guy?”

Balzano punched the man three times in the face with the man’s wife sitting in the passenger seat. A bystander eventually pulled over and directed Balzano back to his car that he did not have a license to drive.

Balzano pled guilty to second-degree harassment on May 16 and said that he committed the crime because he did not take his anger medication and he was upset because a close friend had just died.

“It’s an assault,” Federal Prosecutor Allon Lifshitz said in court. “The defendant is a soldier in an organized crime family.”

On July 22, 2011, Balzano pled guilty to racketeering charges and went to prison for 19 months for selling contraband cigarettes and stealing at least $5,000 in tax refund checks, according to court documents.

His first violation of supervised release came on Feb. 4, 2015, when he lied about possessing a .30-30 caliber action rifle, crossbow and 40 rounds of ammunition, which he was prohibited from possessing. This slammed him with an additional four months in prison.

Lifshitz and Balzano’s probation officer, Florence Duggan, argued for a two-year sentence because of Balzano’s lack of compliance. “Mr. Balzano seems to make his own rules,” Duggan said. “He is more suited to be in a facility.”

Balzano’s defense attorney Gary Schoer argued for house arrest and the amount of time Balzano has already served.

Balzano also faces 21 months supervised release after his prison term.

While being taken out of the room by court officers, Balzano waved and blew a kiss to his family.