A federal judge  Friday sentenced  the former director of the Greater Waterbury Boys and Girls Club to more than four years in prison,  after he pleaded guilty to stealing more than $400,000 dollars from the nonprofit organization.

Judge Vanessa Bryant said the real victims of Generali’s theft were the children who once looked up to the man they called Big Rob.  She said  said the children who go to the Boys and Girls Club were supposed to find role models.

Generali inherited the job running the Waterbury Boys and Girls Club from his father.  The judge noted that without a college degree, Generali may not have been qualified for the job to begin with.

He apologized for stealing from the nonprofit he ran,  saying he dug a hole for himself with booze, gambling, and a lavish lifestyle.

Childhood friend Donald Hawk says Generali was the kind of guy who would always help people –  including giving a job after he got out of prison.  He described how the former club director once bought turkeys for poor families.