NEW YORK - Two reputed mob associates and another man were charged Thursday in the slaying of a jeweler whose bodyguard - a former police officer - later came under scrutiny in the case, became deranged and died in a wild shootout with police.

Anthony Pica, Christopher Prince and Charles Santiago pleaded not guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to charges of armed robbery and murder and were ordered held without bail.

U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell identified Pica and Prince as members of a robbery crew controlled by the Genovese organized crime family. He said the killing of Louis Antonelli “reminds us that the Mafia continues to murder to make money.”

Attorneys for Pica and Prince said outside court that their clients claimed they were innocent and had no mob ties. Santiago's lawyer left court without speaking to reporters.

The defendants, court papers said, believed Antonelli would have hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry with him and had been informed he would be alone and unarmed on April 29 when he exited a basement storage area below a Staten Island restaurant.

Pica and Prince, while watching from a sport utility vehicle, called Santiago's cell phone when Antonelli appeared on the street outside the eatery, prosecutors said.

After Santiago and an unnamed suspect confronted the victim, Santiago fired the fatal shots before fleeing without any jewelry, they added.

Antonelli died in a hospital about two weeks later.