State v. Cagno

Judge WEFING

(temporarily assigned) delivered the opinion of the Court.

In 1981, the New Jersey Legislature, convinced that “the existence of organized crime and organized crime type activities *494presents a serious threat to the political, social and economic institutions of this State,” N.J.S.A. 2C:41-1.1, adopted N.J.S.A. 2C:41-1 to -6.2, New Jersey’s counterpart to the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968. In this appeal, we are called upon to consider whether defendant Aurelio Ray Cagno’s 2004 conviction for racketeering conspiracy was…