The Real Reason Sopranos Actor Lillo Brancato Spent 10 Years In Prison

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

"Early on in my career, I spoke to Bob [Robert Dinero] and Chazz [Palminteri] about how profound changes would occur in my life," Lillo Brancato told People Magazine in October of 2017. "They said once this movie goes out, you will have people around you who will expose you to dangerous things and you have to be careful." As it turned out, the young star's mentors were right. Brancato admitted to developing an addiction to drugs and alcohol at a young age that became increasingly more severe over the years, and it all came to a grisly head on December 10, 2005. 

CNN reports that it was a little after 5am when Daniel Enchautegui, a 28-year-old off duty police officer, heard a slight commotion coming from the house next door to his. When he walked over to investigate, Lillo Brancato and his friend Steven Armento burst through the front door after burglarizing the residence. The pair came face-to-face with the officer, and in a moment of frenzied panic, Armento produced a firearm and shot Enchautegui in the chest (he died shortly after). Brancato and his associate also suffered gunshot wounds from Enchautgui who was armed at the time, but they both survived. The "Bronx Tale" star was later convicted of attempted burglary and sentenced to a decade behind bars. Charges of second-degree murder were also leveled against him, but they didn't stick. He was released from prison in 2013. 

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