United States v. Joseph Charles Bonanno, Jr.

Joseph Charles Bonanno, Jr. appeals his conviction, following a jury trial, for mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. Bonan-no urges five grounds for reversal: (1) outrageous governmental conduct; (2) entrapment; (3) the district court’s failure to instruct the jury on the good faith defense; (4) the district court’s abuse of its discretion in limiting cross-examination of a governmental witness; and (5) insufficient evidence to support the conviction. We affirm.

Joseph Charles Bonanno, Jr. was indicted with four codefendants: Salvatore (“Bill”) Vincent Bonanno, Jerome Gatto, Virgil Redmond, and Lyle Green. The indictment alleged 47 counts including charges for violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (mail fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy). The indictment alleged that the defendants engaged in a scheme to defraud investors through the operation of their corporation, Sunburst Industries. The scheme involved devising fraudulent purchase orders for a “United States historical poster” to be produced and marketed by the defendants. Defendants sought to obtain funds on the strength of the fraudulent purchase orders.

Redmond died prior to trial and Green…