Gangland shooting survivor Ronaldo Odisho spared jail time over bid to extort cash from gay man

Ronaldo Odisho famously survived being shot in the chest during an underworld hit in 2006. Now, the former member of Assyrian gang DLASTHR has had another stroke of luck, this time inside a Sydney courtroom.

Ronaldo Odisho (pictured) will serve a community-based intensive correction order for detaining a man inside a a Liverpool unit and trying to extort him for money. Picture: Monique Harmer.

A Sydney gangland shooting survivor has been spared jail time for trying to extort cash from a closeted gay man after luring him to an apartment in Liverpool with the promise of sex and cocaine.

Ronaldo Odisho, a one-time associate of Sydney-based Assyrian gang DLASTHR (The Last Hour) who survived being shot in the chest by rival gang members in 2006, was sentenced to community-based intensive correction order for 17 months in the NSW District Court on Wednesday

His co-offender, Iraqi refugee Rami Ishow, was not so lucky and copped an 18-month jail sentence after the court found his role in the 2023 crime was greater than that of Odisho.

Agreed facts tendered to the court reveal Ishow began speaking to the man on Snapchat, initially believing he was interacting with a female, before realising the user was a gay man.

The court heard Ishow, 34, and Odisho, 26, invited the victim to Ishow’s unit in the early hours of October 4 2023 with the promise of sex and drugs.

Odisho, pictured outside the Downing Centre Local Court during a previous court appearance. Picture: Monique Harmer.

However, the pair turned on him just minutes after he arrived, claiming he owed them $5,000 and demanding he pay up or they would expose his “shameful” secret to his wife, kids and the wider Muslim community.

The agreed facts said Ishow and Odisho filmed the man in a 13-minute long video where they repeatedly refused to let the victim leave until he paid them the “five grand”.

Odisho then left the apartment at one stage to move the victim’s car, during which time Ishow took their captive out onto the balcony for a cigarette.

The man managed to escape after a short scuffle with Ishow, who had armed himself with a knife, and ran to a nearby service station for help.

No money was ever paid, the court heard.

Ishow and Odisho were arrested a few days later and charged with detaining a person with intent to obtain an advantage, to which they ultimately pleaded guilty.

The court heard both men were subject to conditional liberty at the time - Odisho on parole for matters of violence and Ishow serving an intensive correction order (ICO) for disqualified driving.

In court on Wednesday, Judge David Arnott SC said both men had been heavy drug users at the time of the offending and were motivated to commit the “impulsive” crime to obtain money to fund their habits.

Judge Arnott found Show’s role in the kidnapping-cum-sextortion had been greater than Odisho’s, noting Odisho had not been present when the knife had been produced.

Odisho will be required to perform 120 hours of unpaid community service work as part of his sentence. Picture: Monique Harmer.

Background reports tendered to the court revealed both men had experienced significant trauma in their lives - Ishow as a refugee of war and Odisho as a gang member exposed to acts of violence that claimed the lives of close friends and associates.

The court heard Odisho was just 18 when he survived being shot in the chest by a group of rival Middle Eastern men at a Sydney playground in 2006.

His cousin and fellow gang associate, Antonio Hermiz, was killed in the encounter.

Then court heard Ishow and Odisho both have complex post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses and admitted they turned to a combination of drugs, alcohol and gambling to cope.

Judge Arnott described their prospects of rehabilitation as “guarded”, but noted Odisho in particular now had the benefit of a loving partner, family support and a stable job.

He agreed to spare Odisho a full-time jail sentence despite objections from prosecutors, who called for him to be incarcerated.

As part of his ICO, Odisho must perform 120 hours of unpaid community service work and continue receiving treatment for his mental health.

Ishow will be eligible for release from custody in September this year and must serve nine months on parole before his sentence expires in June next year.