May 03, 2004
Mecklenburg County Sheriff gets Fed time!
I was surprised to hear yesterday that Albert Luisa (also known as Al to his friends) was busted last year for multiple Federal crimes! I was a close friend to Al while we were both working at the Sheriff's Dept. There is a bond that was formed with most of the officers that worked in the "old jail" facility before the new jail was built. That was a tough environment and fights between inmates and Deputies happened every day. You had to depend on the rest of the team to come to your assistance in case of (10-33 officer needs assistance) emergency. Al went through the Academy right after I graduated. He was definitely gung ho about the job. He would go so far as to make arrest on his own time.
Although I don't know all the details, Al apparently got involved with the wrong crowd and got in over his head. He was protecting a gambling house known as "The Basement" using his official status. The Basement had no windows and gamblers had to get through two locked doors to enter. It was equipped with high-tech security, including equipment used to detect police transmitters. Luisa provided security for the gambling house and was paid $30,000 a year for the service. This probably doubled his income as a Deputy.
During one hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenny Smith played two audiotapes in which the government alleges he laughed about selling a man a handgun for use in a murder-for-hire. "He´s laughing about whacking someone," Smith told the magistrate, arguing that Luisa is a threat to the community. This sounds just like the kind of "wise-guy" language Al used to throw around. He was an Italian from the Bronx and proud of it. He was especially hard on the inmates while working in the jail. I remember one meeting were the Sheriff (C.W. Kidd) called Al into his office and told him that he needed to move his residence. The high Sheriff explained that he had heard through informants that there was a "hit" out on Luisa. Al's response was "let 'em come! I'm not moving." And he didn't for at least a year. That was typical Al!
Al pleaded guilty in March to racketeering, bribery, money laundering, aiding a gambling operation, trafficking in contraband cigarettes, possession of stolen goods and sale of weapons to convicted felons. He is currently serving 11 1/2 years in Butner Fed pen.
My prayers are with you AL!