Gary Vitta

Honorable Stanley R. Chesler, U.S.D.J.

United States District Court

Frank Lautenberg U.S. Post Office & Courthouse

2 Federal Square

Newark, New Jersey 07102

 

RE:                  United States v. Gary Vitta

                        Crim. No. 15-01

 

February 6, 2015

 

 

Dear Honorable Judge Chesler,

 

            I am writing to you today in regards to a dear friend of mine, Dr. Gary Vitta.  I first met him in 2003 when his daughter and my friend, Pam, called me asking if I could help her father out with some yard work.   I was an 18 year old kid when I first met Dr. Vitta.  I was just about to graduate high school and at the time, I had no set plans on attending college.  I needed to make extra money so the invitation to help was a no brainer.  I am now 31 years old and I never could have dreamed that the acceptance of yard work would have led me to where I am today.

 

That fateful day in 2003 changed my life in ways that I can’t even begin to explain.  Dr. Vitta and I spoke for nearly an hour long that afternoon.  That conversation changed my life forever.      At the time, my life wasn’t the easiest.  I did not come from much and my family worked very hard for what they did have.  My mother has been battling A.L.S since 2001 and I have and continue to take care of her.  My father worked full time so many adult responsibilities fell on my lap but at the end of the day, I was just a kid.  I didn’t have the direction I so desperately needed which is why that conversation Dr. Vitta and I had that afternoon was so life changing.    It was the push I needed to get myself on the right path.   After telling him about me and explaining my current situation, he asked what he could do to help to me.  Honestly, no one has ever been more willing to help me that way he was.   Over the course of the next few months, we kept in touch.   He continued to take time out of his day to call me and see how things were going and what he could do to help.  He would give me little jobs around his house because he knew the extra money was greatly needed and as time went on, I knew I was ready to make a change.  I think a part of me made that decision based on the fact that I finally had the support I needed from someone, and surprisingly that support came from the man who “just needed help with the yard work.”   Dr. Vitta eventually turned into just Gary and when I say that I mean he truly became part of my life.  He was no longer “Dr. Vitta” to me. He was Gary; he was my friend but more importantly, he became family.   

 

 As time went on, I decided to go back to college for my Bachelor’s Degree.  With my mother’s sickness and my father working, I was left to take this step alone. I told Gary about my plan to go back to Kean University and get my degree, so instead of the usual friendly words of encouragement one would give to another, he took a day off from work and brought me to Kean himself.  He assisted me with enrolling in classes and stood by me through the entire process.   I remember thinking that day how lucky I was to have met someone like him because I could not have done it without him.     This is the real Gary.  This is the man that I wish you could see and really know.    There are not many people in the world that will take that extra step, and until I met him, I didn’t even think they truly existed.  I was definitely wrong.

 

After my first semester back at school, I had told him that I was interested in law enforcement.   Once again, he was right by my side to support and help me.  He knew that becoming a police officer was a lifelong dream of mine and did everything he could to make sure one day that dream would come true.  He had many friends in the field and asked them if they would assist in guiding me.   Unfortunately, I ended up leaving the training program and as you can imagine, was very upset.  However, he continued to support, motivate, and encourage me to fight for what I wanted out of life.  But things weren’t going my way.  Times continued to get harder and harder for my family and me.  My car broke down and was not fixable. I had no money to fix it, let alone get a new one.   Without even having to ask, Gary accompanied me to the dealership and put a down payment of 5000 dollars on car for me.  I got a custodial job working in the school system to keep me afloat for the time being as well. In addition, he gave me money so I could pay off my credit card debt.   Judge Chesler, I don’t know why he did so many of the things he did for me but I do know one thing - I know that without him, I would not be where I am today.   Because of all the good deeds he has done for me, I was finally able to obtain my life long goal as a police officer.   I have been a police officer for seven years and I thank my lucky stars for that day in 2003 when his daughter called me.   He has been there for me through many ups and downs in my life and the only reason I am, where I am today, is because of him.   Twelve years of support, love and guidance this man has given to me and he didn’t have too.  I was just a kid looking to make some extra cash that day but he saw much more in me.    To be honest, more than I think I saw in myself.   Words cannot express the gratitude and appreciation that me and my family have for him.   He has been a second father to me, a great mentor and most importantly, a role model. I am proud to call him my friend and look up to him immensely.   I hope that one day I can teach my own children the values he has taught me. 

 

I respect the law and live by it every day.  I stand by Gary during this time because he is a good man who made a mistake.  I stand by him proudly, Your Honor.     He has endured a tremendous amount of emotional pain this past year.  His entire family has.   It’s painful to watch someone who has helped you so much, suffer so greatly.   The Dr. Gary Vitta I once knew, no longer exists.  He is consumed by humiliation, embarrassment, and remorse.   Your Honor, I ask for your leniency during this time.  This man changed my life and has inspired me in ways I can’t even begin to explain.   Please do not allow this mistake to define who he really is.    I was a lost kid when I first met him, and now I am a proud to say I am a father of a beautiful boy, police officer of seven years, and mentor to other kids in the community.    And for that, I solely have him to thank.     

 

Respectfully,

 

 

Elvin Giordano

New Jersey Police Officer