He’s the Badfella of the Scorsese clan.
A nephew of Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese and two others were busted on heroin-dealing charges on Staten Island Wednesday, law enforcement sources said.
Frank Scorsese, 39, whose father Frank is the acclaimed filmmaker’s brother, sold $200 worth of heroin to an undercover cop on three separate occasions in April, according to a criminal complaint, and was charged after the cop made the third buy this week.
Scorsese, of 55 Thornycroft Ave. in Eltingville, works at an auto body shop at 49 Elizabeth St., and was busted along with the shop’s owners, John Santillo, 55, and his wife Lori Santillo, 57.
Cops executed a search warrant at the Santillos’ home at 91 East Broadway in Staten Island Wednesday morning and seized 272 packets of heroin, five shotguns, a .22 caliber pistol, a 9 mm pistol and a rifle, the complaint said.
Scorsese was charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance, while the Santillos were slapped with weapons and drug charges.
All three pleaded not guilty during their arraignments Thursday in Staten Island Criminal Court.
Lawyers for Scorsese and John Santillo threw each other’s clients under the bus during the proceeding.
“My client is not a felon. The primary person involved here is the co-defendant, not Mr. Scorsese. Scorsese does not own the business,” said lawyer John Poppe.
Kevin Byrne, Santillo’s attorney, fired back: “Mr. Scorsese was the one actively involved in the sale to undercover agents. Mr. Santillo has prior convictions but they are from 30 years ago.”
Judge Matthew Sciarrino Jr. ordered Scorsese held on $50,000 bond or $20,000 cash bail.
John Santillo was held on $75,000 bond or $50,000 bail, while his wife was ordered held on $7,500 bail or $10,000 bond.
Her lawyer, Kathleen Wallace said Lori Santillo is a retired librarian who was clueless about the arsenal.
“The weapons were hidden in a closet behind a hidden panel in a secret compartment. I know the seriousness if this charge but my client is a retired librarian and has no criminal record. She has no knowledge of any of these things,” Wallace said.
Public records show that Scorsese has a history of financial troubles, including tax liens and several civil judgments against him for credit card and personal debts.
His father Frank, 78, of Brick, NJ, said “I don’t need that. Goodbye,” when reached by phone.
Martin Scorsese direct hits such as “Raging Bull,” “Taxi Driver” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and won an Academy Award for direction for “The Departed” in 2006.
His publicist did not immediately return a request for comment from the director, who is now working on a documentary about Bill Clinton.