Ex-gangster's wife charged with having sex with boy, 16

Months after a former Gambino gangster credited his loving wife with saving him from a life of crime, his wife has been charged with a crime herself - having sex with a 16-year-old boy.

Stephanie Finnerty, 42, of 3959 Greentree Dr., Oceanside, pleaded not guilty Friday to third-degree rape and second-degree criminal sex act. Police and prosecutors said she had a long-term relationship with the high school student beginning in 2009.

The charges come after Finnerty's husband, Michael Finnerty, testified against his old friend John "Junior" Gotti at Gotti's trial on racketeering and murder conspiracy charges last year.

Michael Finnerty, 45, was part of Gotti's Howard Beach crew when he was young. Finnerty pleaded guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to time served in the spring after convincing a federal judge that he had turned his life around after meeting his wife in 1991. Gotti's fourth case on racketeering charges ended in mistrial.

Following arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead, Stephanie Finnerty was released after being ordered held on $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash bail.

Her lawyer, Peter Tommaso of Kew Gardens, did not return a call seeking comment Friday.

In a memorandum written to the federal judge who sentenced Michael Finnerty, his lawyer, Joseph Conway of Mineola, said it was meeting Stephanie that inspired Michael to move away from a life of crime.