An alleged mobster and a former New York City police officer are looking to be released from federal prison due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Federal court proceedings are being done remotely due to COVID-19, and News 12 listened in on two separate court conferences before a federal judge.

The first was for Valerie Cincinelli, a 35-year-old ex-New York City police officer from Oceanside. She's charged with murder-for-hire and obstruction of justice for allegedly plotting to kill her ex-husband and her boyfriend's teenage daughter.

Since her arrest last year, Cincinelli has maintained her innocence. She is being held without bail.

Her lawyer, James Kousouros, made a motion to a federal judge to release Cincinelli on bail pending her trial. He says there's additional text message evidence that proves her innocence, and that she's at risk of contracting COVID-19.

"She was designated to the do the laundry for incoming inmates and other inmates at the facility," says Kousouros. "So she was placed in a high-risk situation with only gloves, no mask, so she actually is, and has been put, in a position where she could contract the virus."

The government argued that the "defendant has failed to identify any qualifying change in circumstances; has failed to demonstrate a specific vulnerability to illness related to COVID-19."

The judge postponed a decision until Monday.

The second defendant was John Ambrosio, of Huntington. He's the alleged captain in the Gambino organized crime family. He's 76 years old and serving 51 months for racketeering.

The government argued, "The litany of medical conditions he cites in his motion are wholly uncorroborated. They should be viewed with extreme skepticism given his history and characteristics."

The judge said "one letter from a doctor is not going to make any in-roads" - and that she would need to see more medical records.

For now, both defendants remain behind bars.