Ferdinand ‘Freddy’ Augello, 62, former leader of the New Jersey Shore Pagan’s Outlaw Motorcycle Club convicted in the slaying of a radio show host has been sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years.
Augello continued to maintain his innocence in court when he was given his sentence Wednesday.
‘I would never kill anybody, especially the granddaughter of my mother’s best friend,’ Augello said addressing the court according to the Press of Atlantic City. ‘This whole thing is a farce.’
Ferdinand ‘Freddy’ Augello is sentenced to life in prison for involvement in the murder of April Kauffman
‘I just can’t believe I’ve been convicted and I’m going to jail for the rest of my life and the people that did this are sitting at home,’ he continued.
Atlantic County prosecutors say Augello, also known by the handle ‘Miserable’ and the woman’s husband, Dr. James Kauffman, wanted to stop her from exposing a drug ring allegedly run by the doctor and a motorcycle gang.
He was found guilty in October of the murder of April Kauffman, conspiracy to murder her husband, Dr. James Kauffman, and charges related to the opioid business out of Kauffman’s medical practice.
‘For the first time since the jury returned a verdict, I feel alive, awake,’ Kim Pack, daughter of April Kauffman told the jury, reported The Press. ‘As relieved that I am that there is justice for April, I’m sad.’
April Kauffman, who was 47 a the time of her death, was slain in a murder-for-hire plot that involved her now-deceased husband and his apparent drug-dealing biker gang associates
Augello contends that ‘the people that did this are sitting at home’ still maintaining his innocence despite the conviction and sentencing
Ferdinand Augello, 62, was convicted in October on murder, conspiracy, racketeering and other counts
The Press also reported Augello returned to allegations that Andrew ‘Chef’ Glick, a witness and a confidential informant in the case, was responsible for the drug ring.
Augello was convicted in October on murder, conspiracy, racketeering and other counts in the 2012 shooting of April Kauffman. Jurors had only deliberated for two hours before agreeing to convict.
James Kauffman was found dead in his cell at the county jail in Kearny, N.J., back in January of an apparent suicide. He had been arrested after an armed standoff with police in 2017.
Kim Pack, daughter of the victim April Kauffman, poses with a photo of her late mother
Dr. James Kauffman committed suicide in jail while awaiting trial back in January of this year
Defense attorney Mary Linehan and Augello questioned the reliability of Andrew Glick, the state’s witnesses. They said the state’s evidence points to Glick, a former gang official turned informant.
Sentencing for four former co-defendants turned state’s witnesses, Joseph Mulholland, Beverly Augello, Glenn Seeler and Tabitha Chapman were postponed, while Cheryl Pizza, a fifth co-defendant, is to appear before the judge on Thursday.