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| “ | Hey, you sang so pretty. What else can you do with that mouth? | „ |
| ~ Navarro harassing Tara Riley |
Gabriel "Gabe" Navarro is the main antagonist of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "I Thought You Were On My Side". He is a club owner who is connected to the Sicilian and Russian Mafias as well as the NYPD, and uses his connections to rape women with impunity.
He is portrayed by Rhys Coiro, who also portrayed Andrew Briggs in Dexter.
Early life[]
Navarro was born in Puglia, Italy, to an Italian father and a Russian mother, both of whom were connected to crime families in their respective countries.
As an adult, he took over his parents' criminal empire, specializing in drug dealing and sex trafficking. He launders the proceeds of his crimes through several strip clubs in Bensonhurst and Brighton Beach, and gives so much money to the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney's office that both look the other way when he is accused of several rapes. He is also a close associate of Anton Popkov, the "Boss of Bosses" of the Russian mob.
In "I Thought You were On My Side"[]
On his birthday, Navarro throws himself a private party at one of his clubs, and rapes one of his waitresses, Crystal James. Later on the evening, one of the club's dancers, Tara Riley, sings "Happy birthday" to him, and he forces her into his lap and puts his fingers inside her. He then follows her backstage and tries to rape her; when she resists, he flies into a rage and throws her down the stairs in front of the entire club, breaking her back.
While hospitalized, Riley tells Captain Olivia Benson and Detective Amanda Rollins of the NYPD's Special Victims Unit that Navarro assaulted her, so they have her call him and ask for money for her treatment, while they record the conversation; as expected, he makes self-incriminating remarks about attacking her, and then threatens to kill her. Benson, Rollins, and Sergeant Fin Tutuola arrest Navarro at his club as he dares Benson to shoot him.
Benson and Assistant District Attorney Dominick Carisi Jr. interrogate Navarro, who tries, unsuccessfully, to bribe them. Meanwhile, Tutuola and Rollins connect Navarro to the rapes of two other women, one of whom he murdered and another he beat so severely that she sustained permanent brain damage. Before they can charge Navarro with any of these crimes, however, an unexpected complication arises: The NYPD's Organized Crime Squad, led by Benson's former partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, has been investigating Navarro for years in a joint operation with the FBI, and the latter wants to take over the case.
Navarro offers to help Benson, Stabler, and the FBI arrest Popkov in return for dropping the rape and murder charges. The FBI accepts the deal, leaving Benson and Stabler with no choice but to go along with it. Navarro agrees to wear a wire during a meeting with Popkov and tells Stabler that the arrest has to look real or Popkov will suspect a trap. Before Stabler can arrest Navarro or Popkov, however, both of them flee on motorcycles, resulting in a citywide chase. Benson and Stabler catch up to them, however, and the latter shoots Navarro in the shoulder after the gangster pulls a gun on him. He and Popkov are both taken into custody.
Navarro testifies against Popkov, who is imprisoned for life. Then, unbeknownst to either Benson or Stabler, the FBI takes Navarro into protective custody.
External links[]
- Gabe Navarro on the Law & Order Wiki
