GOP Mob Buster who Initiated the #1 Rated Organized Crime Investigation in the Country Seeks Political Office

William P. Ready has announced his intention to run for the Board of Selectmen ahead of the Tuesday, July 20, GOP Caucus.

Skills developed during Mr. Ready’s 30 years in the FBI as both field agent and supervisor are directly transferable to public office, he noted. “I have led teams investigating complex, criminal organizations in New York City, Fairfield and New Haven counties. To achieve our objectives, I had to be proficient in problem resolution, community relations, personnel coordination and budget oversight. The job demanded I be ethical and confidential. I feel these abilities are invaluable to a town official.”

Mr. Ready and his wife, Barbara, moved to Southbury in 2003. As their three boys grew up, he became involved with coaching in Southbury Youth Baseball and volunteering in the local Boy Scouts of America program. He has held positions of assistant scoutmaster for Troop 5 in Middlebury, assistant scoutmaster for Troop 1607 and scoutmaster for Troop 60 in Southbury.

During his tenure as scoutmaster for Troop 60, seven young men achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. His troops participated in dozens of service projects at the Audubon Center, Platt Farm and Phillips Farm. Bill and his family attend Cornerstone Church in Oxford.

Most recently, Mr. Ready organized the Law Enforcement Appreciation Rally held May 15 at Playhouse Corner. “I felt strongly that the local, state and federal law enforcement officials in our community deserved our recognition and support. I also wanted to honor those officers across the country who have recently lost their lives in the line of duty.

“It was a well-attended event, and I think we raised awareness of the dramatically increasing number of officers lost each year.”

In early 1996, Mr. Ready initiated a RICO investigation into the Gambino crime family. After considerable effort and development, the investigation became the number-one rated organized crime investigation in the country. By mid-1999 the investigation resulted in the arrest and conviction of Gambino family boss John “Junior” Gotti and more than 40 members and associates of the Gambino and Genovese crime families.

In 2002, Mr. Ready initiated and ran the investigation now known as “Operation Last Camp.” This became the number-one rated organized crime investigation in the country in 2004. By 2005, the investigation resulted in the arrest and conviction of then Gambino family boss Arnold “The Beast” Squitieri and 39 members and associates of the Gambino, Luchese and Genovese families. “Operation Last Camp” in the end dismantled several family crews and caused a significant disruption to the hierarchy of the Gambino family.

Each investigation was heralded in different episodes of the television show “60 Minutes” and written about in two different books.

After 9-11 occurred, Mr. Ready, who was serving in Manhattan Division, became a counter-terrorism agent working on the “Penttbom” investigation. After transferring to the New Haven Division, Mr. Ready participated in the FBI investigations into the murder of Yale University grad student Anne Le in 2009 and the Sandy Hook School massacre in 2012.

Following his retirement from the FBI, Mr. Ready briefly served as adjunct professor at the University of New Haven, Criminal Justice Program.

Mr. Ready holds a juris doctor from Western New England University, B.A. in economics and sociology from Fairfield University with additional training in navigating strategic change from Northwestern University and money laundering and asset forfeiture, surveillance photography from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

He graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., and maintained secret and top secret security clearances throughout his career. He is the recipient of the Award for Excellence from the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency, the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and 11 FBI Incentive Awards for conducting and completing major successful investigations.

“I look forward to volunteering my time and talents on the Board of Selectmen for the betterment of Southbury,” Mr. Ready said.