But he won't go free until he finds his passport.
HACKENSACK -- The alleged leader of a multi-state gambling ring had his bail reduced Thursday, but won't go free until he can track down his passport.
Judge Frances McGrogan reduced the bail of Robert "Elvis" D'Alessio from $750,000 to $500,000 but won't let him leave the Bergen County Jail until someone can go to his apartment and find his passport to surrender it to authorities.
D'Alessio's attorney, Kevin G. Roe, asked the judge to release D'Alessio with the condition that he surrender the passport Friday morning. D'Alessio said the document might be difficult to find after investigators searched his house.
McGrogan refused, citing the concerns of attorneys for the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, who said D'Alessio frequently leaves the country to travel to Costa Rica and Cuba. She said a friend could retrieve the passport for D'Alessio.
"I don't think it's an unreasonable request given the risk of flight," she said.
D'Alessio, 62, of Little Falls, was arrested Tuesday and accused of leading an organization of more than 50 gambling agents who collected tens of millions of dollars in bets using 1-800 numbers and a wire room in Costa Rica, authorities said Wednesday. He's charged with racketeering, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy to promote gambling.
He was arrested on similar charges in 2006 after police raided Satin Dolls on Route 17, the location for the Bada Bing club in "The Sopranos." That raid also yielded more than 50 arrests.
Dante Monaco, Alfonc Pilinci and Robert Beatty, whom authorities identified as managers in the enterprise, also had their bails reduced. Gregory Farace, charged with promoting gambling and conspiracy, planned to post $100,000 bail.
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.