John Alite's personal photographs entered into evidence
Two decades ago, Michael Finnerty was a merciless thug who ran with John A, Junior Gottis crew in Howard Beach, busting heads, stealing cars and robbing drug dealers.
Now the hulking Finnerty is the one pleading for mercy.
Although Finnerty went straight and eventually turned on Gotti, his past caught up with him two years ago when he was corralled in a federal sweep of Gambino goons.
So before a federal judge imposes a sentence Friday that could send Finnerty to jail for up to six years, the 45-year-old father of three pleaded for leniency in a letter to the court.
Finnerty asked Judge Denise Cote to consider “who I have become today, and not who I was many years ago.”
He wants to avoid prison altogether and get probation or house arrest – sentences Cote could consider.
In addition to his wife, Stephanie, whose love Finnerty credits with turning him into a new man, he got a plug from FDNY CAPT Leam Flaretty
In his letter to the judge, Flaherty said the Long Island dad spent so much time searching for survivors at Ground Zero he feared for his health.
Finnerty also got glowing praise from his brothers at Local 52, the Motion Picture Studio Mechanics union.
That’s because Finnerty went from being a real life gangster to being a respected and admired builder of sets for TV thrillers like the FX Drama Damages starring Glen Close, and HBO s “Bored to Death” with Ted Danson
“In the decades I have known him, he has been an outstanding human being who continues to evolve,” screenwriter Tom Fantana whose credits include crime shows such as “The Jury,” “Oz” and “Homicide,” wrote in a letter to Cote.
Gotti and Finnerty’s relationship began to sour in 1995. Finnerty testified last year that’s when he went to Gotti seeking a $500,000 loan to start a business.
Gotti refused, but Finnerty made a go of it anyway, and continued to make occasional “tribute payments” to keep old associates off his back.
Then when Finnerty pleaded guilty in September 2009 to a bevy of crimes on behalf of the Gambinos, he agreed to testify against Gotti in exchange for a recommendation from prosecutors for a reduced sentence.
The old Michael Finnerty and the new Michael Finnerty are “so diametrically opposed it’s hard to contemplate it’s the same person,” his lawyer, Joseph Conway, said.
Hollywood goodfella 