Sopranos Star Arrested

By: Shannon Gossage

Ventimiglia was pulled over near his Brooklyn home at approximately 1 a.m. after officers observed him driving with no headlights on and weaving into oncoming traffic. Per the police report, Ventimiglia was unsteady on his feet, smelled of alcohol, his speech was slurred, and he had bloodshot eyes. Reportedly, his blood alcohol content was 0.12 – more than the legal limit of 0.08. He was also allegedly carrying a bag containing cocaine residue in his back pocket.

Ventimiglia, 42, was arraigned in Brooklyn Court on the following violations: driving while intoxicated, operating outside the lane, reckless driving, operating without headlights, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was released without bail. Benjamin Petrofsky, his attorney said he felt "terrible and embarrassed," but refused to comment further.

In other Sopranos news, Louis Gross, Tony’s newest driver/bodyguard Perry Annunziata, was arrested Sunday on criminal mischief charges after a woman’s claims that he broke into her home last month. It has also been reported that the 23-year old has been accused of roughing up a storeowner earlier this year. Gross has his arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on Monday and said, "I don’t know nothing. I’m innocent. I’m always innocent." The cast of the Sopranos are no strangers to the law. Lillo Brancato, Jr., who once played a young mobster on the show, was allegedly involved in the slaying of an off-duty police officer, he pleaded not guilty; Vincent Pastore, better known as Sal Bonpensiero, pleaded guilty in 2005 to attempted assault on his girlfriend; and Robert Iler, A.J. Soprano, pleaded guilty to mugging two boys for $40 a few years ago.