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Anthony Basilici of Pawtucket pleaded guilty Wednesday in a federal court in Boston to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, one count of possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice by retaliating against a witness, federal prosecutors said.
In the court files, Basilici and co-conspirators admitted to the extreme lengths they would go to get back at those they felt had slighted them. In April 2019, Basilici and others lured a Massachusetts man to Rhode Island, where they stripped him naked, assaulted him, and threatened to rape him for 18 minutes, the court files said. This was because they believed the man was a "rat" who was working with federal investigators. He was not.
Basilici filmed the entire assault, so they could use it to intimidate others, the DEA said.
“The defendant’s conduct is nothing short of horrifying. Mr. Basilici actively and willingly participated in a violent scheme to kidnap, beat and terrorize a victim who he wrongly believed was working with law enforcement. ...,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This case is another example of how drug trafficking activities drive violence in our communities."
Basilici faces decades in prison and millions of dollars in potential fines for the crimes he pleaded guilty to.
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