On December 10, 2005, off-duty NYPD Police Officer Daniel Enchautegui, after finishing his scheduled tour of duty, returned home and noticed that his neighbors home was being burglarized. He immediately donned his shield, drew his weapon and called 911 in order to get uniformed NYPD police officers to the scene. While waiting for those police officers to arrive, the two men who had been burglarizing the home emerged, only to be met by Police Officer Enchautegui who, with his shield around his neck, instantly identified himself as a police officer in both English and Spanish, ordering the suspect’s not to move. One of the suspects involved responded by shooting Police Officer Enchautegui in the heart. Despite the mortal wound, Police Officer Enchautegui was able to put eight rounds on target, striking one suspect twice and the other suspect six times. Both fleeing suspects were apprehended, tried and convicted.
One of those suspects turned out to be (then 29 yr old) actor Lillo Brancato , who was already known to law enforcement as a heroin addict. Despite his role in the circumstances that lead to the murder of Police Officer Enchautegui, Brancato was found not guilty of second degree murder. Instead, he was charged with first degree attempted burglary and sentenced to 10 years, only to be released in 2013 having served less than 5 years of that sentence.
Since being released, Brancato has attempted to paint himself as a ‘lost sheep’ of sorts that has since been reformed. Those who run in common circles with him know that he is still the substance abuse-driven mutt that he was on the night he teamed up with his girlfriend’s father and murdered an NYPD Police Officer. Nonetheless, there are always bleeding hearts or those who truly don’t know the history that haunts the man. In some cases they will even give this waste a platform. While it is humanly impossible to keep up and advise them all prior to them actually paying this perp, when we DO see his appearances being advertised, we are quick to remind people of the company they are keeping.
So, it should be no surprise to anyone that once the board of Brothers Before Others saw Brancato being touted as a ‘featured celebrity’ on the greeting site Memmo.me, the anger was immediate. Founded in 2014 by retired NYPD Police Officer Michael Burke and comprised solely of active/retired police officers, BBO takes offense to all and any disrespect towards our profession regardless of how unintentional; especially when it is directed towards the sacrifices made by those who laid down their lives and the families left behind that mourn them.
Even to a civilian, knowing what you know now, this mutt’s profile alone is hysterical. He actually has the nerve to say that he is “Just using my experiences to help others along the way!”. What experiences would those be? How to be so driven by your drug that you would break into someone’s home and steal their belongings just to fuel your habit? How you could run past a police officer who had been shot in the heart and was dying on the ground? How to be so weak, pathetic and dependent that you manage to OD while in prison? Please. Tell me all the experiences you can’t wait to share with the fools who would actually give you $50 for the privilege of hearing your babble.
Brothers Before Others reached out directly to the Memmo.me staff in order to make them aware of just who Brancato is. We received this in response:
“Thank you so much for reaching out to us regarding this. The concerned team in charge of this profile have been informed and, for sure, will take your message into consideration and look further into this. We appreciate it a lot that you’re reaching out to us regarding this. Just let us know if you need an update or if you have any further hesitations or questions at all! Wish you all the best and take care, Memmo Support”
So now we wait; and yes we WILL need an update. As of this hour, you can still ‘book’ Brancato on their site. Things like this tend to get stuck on our radar and rightfully so. This mutt may seek redemption and good for him. That redemption will be sorted out between him and whatever higher power he subscribes too. The law enforcement community will neither forgive nor forget; and every time he peeks his alcohol and drug riddled melon out his window, we will collectively be there to remind him. Our charity founder had this to say: “I have gotten this scumbag’s appearances cancelled on three previous occasions: an appearance sanctioned by a board of education, an appearance at a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs baseball game and at Mob Movie Con. Memmo.me is now on the clock.”. Being a retired NYPD Police Officer himself, this over-sight or outright disregard hits home for Mike, as it does for all of our members.
Judges may hand out weak sentences. Parole boards may free them. Families may weep for them and advocate for them. However, this charity and this profession will never accommodate a cop killer nor wish them well on any journey of reformation they may claim to be on. They can and will burn in hell. With all due respect, of course. Never forget means just that and mandates no less.
