Thomas Liberatore, 66, was sentenced to 32 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release his role in the 2020 robbery of Marco Jewelers in Stamford that resulted in the store’s owner being fatally shot.
On March 28, 2020, Paul Prosano drove Liberatore and Robert Rallo in a black Jaguar to Marco Jewelers. Rallo and Liberatore entered the store armed with a handgun and engaged in a physical altercation with store owner Mark Vuono while his Liberatore stole items from the display cases. Vuono, who also possessed a firearm, and Rallo struggled next to a large open safe. During the more than three-minute struggle, Rallo reached into the safe and pulled out a third firearm, a .357 Magnum revolver. Rallo subsequently shot and killed Vuono with the .357 revolver.
Between $360,000 and $430,000 worth of jewelry was stolen during the robbery. Rallo, Liberatore and Prosano apprehended in Staten Island two days later and law enforcement officers recovered jewelry stolen from the store.
Liberatore has been detained since his arrest on April 1, 2020. On Dec. 19, 2022, a jury found Liberatore and Prosano guilty of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery) and interstate transportation of stolen property. Liberatore was also found guilty of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to cause a death during a robbery. The trial evidence established that Liberatore, who formerly resided in Stamford, orchestrated the robbery of Marco Jewelers.
Liberatore has a lengthy criminal history, and he served a total of approximately 30 years in prison prior to the Marco Jewelers and the murder of Mark Vuono. He met Rallo and Prosano while incarcerated within the New York State Department of Corrections.
Rallo pleaded guilty on April 5, 2022, Rallo pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery, interstate transportation of stolen property, and using a firearm to cause a death during a robbery. He was sentenced on March 1, 2023, to 40 years of imprisonment. Prosano was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment on July 5, 2023.
