Man who robbed, murdered Stamford jeweler sentenced
A New York man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison in connection with the shooting death of a Stamford jewelry store owner during a robbery in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Robert Rallo, 59, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of using a firearm to cause death during a robbery April 5, 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
On March 28, 2020, Stamford Police Department officers responded to Marco Jewelers at 16 Sixth St. in Stamford at 2:48 p.m. When officers arrived, they found the store owner, Mark Vuono, lying on the ground in front of an open safe and evidence of a robbery, court records said.
Emergency medical personnel pronounced Vuono dead on the scene, according to court records.
Investigators analyzed surveillance video from Marco Jewelers, surrounding businesses and Stamford city cameras. Video from Marco Jewelers showed a black Jaguar, driven by Paul Prosano, dropping off Rallo and Thomas Liberatore at the store March 28, court records said.
Rallo and Liberatore then entered the store. Rallo, armed with a handgun, struggled with an armed Vuono next to a large open safe, while Liberatore stole items from the display cases. During the more than three-minute struggle, Rallo reached into the safe and grabbed a .357 Magnum revolver, which he used to shoot and kill Vuono, according to court records.
The Jaguar was located in Staten Island, court records said. On March 31, 2020, law enforcement officials were conducting surveillance on the Jaguar when they saw a black BMW X3, driven by Prosano, pulled up beside the car. Rallo got out of the BMW and got into the driver’s seat of the Jaguar.
The two vehicles then rapidly accelerated, according to court records. As the two men sped off, the Jaguar crashed on Tompkins Street. Rallo attempted to escape on foot but was quickly taken into custody.
The BMW driven by Prosano crashed into a tree and parked car at the intersection of Daniel Low Terrace and Corson Avenue, and he also attempted to flee and was arrested.
Law enforcement officials found 63 rings, eight bracelets, two tie pins, an earring and a cufflink during a search of the BMW. They found an additional 23 pairs of earrings and three rings during a search of Prosano’s residence, which were all tied to the robbery at Marco Jewelers, court records said.
Liberatore was arrested the following day, April 1, 2020.
Rallo’s criminal history includes two prior murder convictions spanning approximately 40 years. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, he met Liberatore and Prosano while incarcerated in New York and had been released from prison in March 2019.
“This sentence will protect society from a dangerous individual who brutally killed a much-loved and respected man and small-business owner,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “I thank the FBI and the Stamford, Greenwich, Yonkers, New York and New Rochelle police departments for thoroughly investigating this crime and helping to bring these defendants to justice.”
Rallo has been detained since his arrest.
“The system of justice in which the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners work within every day has just spoken,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller. “The joint efforts of the investigators and prosecutors has been recognized and justice has been served.”
A jury also found Liberatore and Prosano guilty of Hobbs Act robbery and interstate transportation of stolen property on Dec. 19, 2022. Liberatore was also found guilty of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to cause death during a robbery.
Both men are detained while awaiting sentencing.
“We are very pleased to see these three career criminals held accountable for this senseless murder, and we want to commend the tireless, cutting-edge police work that led to this outcome,” said Stamford Assistant Police Chief Richard Conklin. “While nothing we do can restore what the Vuono family has lost, we hope that this conviction and sentence can offer some solace.
“We are grateful for the expertise of our officers, as well as the collaboration with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners, that contributed to bringing this painful case to a positive conclusion.”