George Bratsenis, a career criminal from Connecticut, entered a guilty plea on Thursday to charges that he killed Michael Galdieri in a 2014 murder-for-hire scheme involving political consultant Sean Caddle.
The hearing, which lasted a little more than a half-hour, shed little new information on the murder beyond what is already known.
Press play to hear a narrated version of this story, presented by AudioHopper.
No new issues were discussed in court, including speculation that a knife found in Bratsenis’ possession at the time of his arrest on a different charge in 2014 might have been connected to the murder several days earlier of political powerbroker John Sheridan and his wife Joyce.
The 73-year-old Bratsenis told U.S. District Court Judge John Michael Vazquez that he met with Caddle in April 2014 to arrange for the murder of Galdieri, the son of former New Jersey State Sen. James Galdieri (D-Jersey City) and a small-time political player who once ran for the city council.
Bratsenis admitted that he conspired with a Philadelphia man, Bomani Africa, and that the two murdered Galdieri in his Jersey City apartment on May 22, 2014.
He said he met with Caddle outside an Elizabeth diner the following day to accept “thousands of dollars in cash,” some of which he shared with Africa.
Caddle, who had worked with former State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Elizabeth) and ran several super PACs, admitted his role in the Galdieri murder on January 25. He is currently under home detention on a $1 million unsecured bond at his residence in Sussex County.
POLITICO reported last month that some super PACs and non-profits involving Caddle are the target of a state grand jury probe and that subpoenas were issued.
Bratsenis, who waived his right to an indictment and trial, is currently incarcerated for a different crime and appeared remotely.
Vazquez has scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 2, although those dates are frequently fungible.
He faces life in prison.
“My understanding is the government is not seeking the death penalty in this case,” Vazquez told Bratsenis.
Bratsenis agreed to a plea agreement with federal prosecutors on August 6, 2021. He is represented by Charles Kurmay, a Connecticut attorney.
Galdieri was stabbed to death, before his home at 1578 Mallory Avenue in Jersey City was set on fire.
Galdieri worked on political campaigns in Jersey City, including mayoral races for Louis Manzo and Bret Schundler, and City Councilman Steve Lipski. He served on the Jersey City Rent Leveling Board and worked for Manzo on his State Assembly staff.
His father won an unexpired term in the New Jersey State Senate in 1980, after the criminal conviction of State Sen. David Friedland (D-Jersey City) had created a vacancy. Redistricting in 1981 left no path for him to remain in the Senate. Galdieri’s grandfather represented Hudson County in the State Assembly in the 1930s.
In 2005, Michael Galdieri sought the Ward B seat on the Jersey City Council on a slate opposed to Mayor Jeremiah Healy. The night before the election, he was arrested on drug and weapons charges and was sentenced to prison. He was defeated by Mary Spinello.
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