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IN THIS ISSUE
· Closing In On Vito’s Record
· 
Teddy Deegan – Revisited (Part One)
· Short Takes
· This Week in Mob History
· Trials and Tribulations

LAST ISSUE 1-7-02

1-14-02

Closing In On Vito’s Record

     This month marks the seventh anniversary of James "Whitey" Bulger being a fugitive from justice. Whitey’s disappearing act is not the longest on record for a mob boss, nor has it been the most publicized. While he may rank second in both categories one thing is for certain, the price on his head – one million large – is the highest ever offered by our government for a mob boss on the run.

     In 1937 Vito Genovese fled to Italy as New York City Prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, fresh off putting away Charles "Lucky" Luciano for 35 to 50 years, was looking for a new mobster to go after. Genovese, although underboss of the Luciano Family, had not yet developed the notorious reputation that would benefit him in the late 1950s. Arrested in Italy on August 27, 1944 Genovese was brought back to the United States the following year to be tried for the murder of Ferdinand " the Shadow" Boccia. Fortunately for Vito the state’s corroborating witness, Peter LaTempa, was poisoned in his jail cell. On June 10, 1946 Genovese was set free.

     The most publicized manhunt for a mob boss was for Louis "Lepke" Buchalter. Indicted for violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act as it pertained to the restraint of trade of rabbit skins in the garment industry, Lepke was convicted in October 1936. With appeals about to be exhausted, and with Thomas E. Dewey circling like a vulture with an another indictment, Lepke went underground in July 1937. The reward for his capture reached $50,000. His face appeared on posters, movie screens, and in newspapers across the country. Lepke had become the most wanted man in America. With enormous heat being placed on the New York underworld Frank Costello convinced Lepke to surrender. Lepke gave up in spectacular fashion by using nationally known radio personality Walter Winchell as an intermediary to surrender to J. Edgar Hoover on the night of August 24, 1939. Lepke would never be a free man again. He died in the electric chair in Sing Sing for his crimes in 1944, the only mob boss ever to be executed – well, legally speaking.

Here are a few other mob bosses, or mob bosses to be, that were at onetime fugitives – or at least in hiding:

Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo – At the age of 18 Lonardo avenged the murder of his father – Cleveland underworld leader Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo – and his uncle by killing Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro on June 11, 1929. Lonardo turned himself over to authorities in February 1930.

Frank "the Enforcer" Nitti – The man who gained fame as the fictional nemesis of Eliot Ness in the original Untouchables television series went into hiding from March through October 1930 after he was indicted for income tax evasion.

Dutch Schultz – From January 1933 until November 1934 the Dutchman was on the lam ducking an indictment for income tax evasion.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano – For a short time in the spring of 1936 Luciano was on the lam after being named "Public Enemy Number 1" by Special Prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey. He was captured in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro – Was convicted with Lepke in October 1936 and went underground with him the following year. However, Gurrah was ill and turned himself in on April 14, 1938.

Vincent Gigante – After the botched murder attempt on Frank Costello on May 2, 1957 "the Chin" took off. After being identified by the doorman at Costello’s apartment building, the behemoth Gigante took a couple of months off to slim down before turning himself in on July 17.

Carmine Galante – Listed on the same 1958 narcotics indictment that put Vito Genovese away for life, Galante went into hiding for several months before authorities arrested him in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey.

Stephen "the Rifleman" Flemmi – Under the guidance of rogue Boston FBI agent H. Paul Rico, Flemmi went underground from 1969 until 1974 after the attempted car-bomb murder of attorney John Fitzgerald.

John J. Gotti – Years before he became the "Dapper Don," Gotti went underground after his participation in the murder of Irish mobster James "Jimmy" McBratney on May 22, 1973. After Carlo Gambino arranged to have Gotti defended by famed defense attorney Roy Cohn the future "Teflon Don" allowed himself to be arrested on June 3, 1974.

Carmine "the Snake" Persico – Was one of the few Mafia members ever to make the FBI’s Most Wanted List while ducking an indictment. He was on the infamous list from January 31 until February 15, 1985.

Vittorio Amuso and Anthony "Gas Pipe" Casso – The boss and underboss of the Lucchese Family went on the lam in May 1990 prior to a labor racketeering indictment. Amuso was captured in July 1991 and Gas Pipe lasted until January 1993.

Frances "Cadillac Frank" Salemme – Indicted at the same time as Whitey Bulger, the New England Mafia boss fled to Florida where he was apprehended in August 1995.

Teddy Deegan – Revisited (Part One)     ^TOP

     At the time of his murder in March 1965 everyone thought Edward "Teddy" Deegan was just another victim in what had become known as Boston’s M & M War, which claimed some 60 plus victims. More than 35 years later Deegan’s death has become the talk of the town and over $1.0 billion in lawsuits have been filed against the Boston FBI office for their conduct involving his murder as well as their participation in the crimes of Winter Hill mobsters James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "the Rifleman" Flemmi. In the Deegan murder investigation the FBI’s decision to withhold pertinent information led to four innocent men being sent to prison, from which two would never return.

     It’s not exactly clear why Teddy Deegan was murdered. He was described as "an arrogant nasty sneak thief" and as a "low-level hood." In The Underboss: The Rise & Fall Of A Mafia Family, the authors Gerard O’Neill and Dick Lehr write:

     "[Peter] Limone had hired [Joseph] Barboza to kill Deegan for having robbed some of his North End friends. Limone had met with Barboza on Prince Street, right near [Gennaro] Angiulo’s office, and offered the killer $7,500. Barboza had accepted, but sought out [Henry] Tameleo at the Ebb Tide (sic) in Revere to confirm the killing was authorized. It was. Deegan had also caused trouble at the bar, which had become a favorite of Tameleo’s ever since the Providence office became a part owner. Deegan had managed to become an annoyance to all. ‘He definitely goes,’ Tameleo told Barboza. ‘No punk like Deegan is going to push the office around.’"

     The "Providence office" that Tameleo referred to was the headquarters of Raymond L. S. Patriarca, the boss of the New England Mafia Family.

     In Barboza, by Joseph Barboza with Hank Messick, the following explanation for the murder is offered:

     "Deegan, an ex-boxer, broke into the home of a bookie named Popollo. With him was Statopoulos, the Greek, and a kid named Ricco Sacramoni. The Office was mad and wanted to find out who did it. Deegan got scared and came up with a wild idea like most ideas born out of desperation. He thought if he killed someone the Office would think twice before hassling him. The opportunity came when Deegan had an argument with Sacramoni over some pills. Deegan and Sacramoni were in a car with Statopoulos when it happened."

     Deegan allegedly stabbed Sacramoni before finishing him off with a bullet. According to Barboza he was approached by Peter Limone who advised him, "A lot of our people have been complaining about Deegan killing the Sacramoni kid. I’ll give you $7,500 if you can get it [murdering Deegan] done."

     Before accepting the offer Barboza had some checking he wanted to do. He related, "Later, I saw Henry Tameleo at the Ebbtide in Revere. Henry was Raymond’s right hand man and I trusted him."

     "I said to him," ‘Peter wants me to handle the Deegan situation’"

     "Henry said, ‘Yes, it’s okay. He has to go.’"

     In Barboza’s telling of the story a crew was formed to murder both Deegan and Statopoulos. The crew consisted of Ronald Casseso (sometimes spelled as Cassesso), Louis Greco (sometimes spelled as Grieco), Joseph Romeo Martin, Joseph Salvati, Wilfred Roy French and Joseph W. "Chico" Amico. The plan called for French, who was "friendly" with Deegan, to set up him and Statopoulos by laying out a plot to burglarize a finance company in Chelsea. On the night of the proposed double hit the plan called for Martin and Greco to be in an alley behind the finance company waiting for French and Deegan to come out after robbing it. Martin and Greco were to kill Deegan and head back to the Ebbtide. Meanwhile, Barboza, Cassesso and Salvati would kill Statopoulos, who was the lookout and getaway driver for Deegan and French. Amico would be alone in the "crash car" to protect the escape – if necessary.

     According to Barboza, he got spooked by a stranger who happened by and, after telling Casseso to go into the alley and call the hit off, "raced back to the Ebbtide" alone. Why the "most feared hitman in the underworld" would turn tail and run was only the beginning of a bizarre tale Barboza would later weave for FBI agents L. Paul Rico and Dennis Condon, who became his "handlers." In his book Barboza claims he received the following spot reports as hit team members made their way back to the Ebbtide.

Roy French: "We drove to the alley. Deegan only had a screwdriver. The Greek didn’t have anything. When we went into the alley I got scared I’d get caught in a crossfire so I shot Teddy in the head first. When I left the alley the Greek was still in his car. I couldn’t figure what had happened to you [Barboza] so I waved my hand for him to leave and he took off in the car."

Ronnie Casseso: "When I went back to tell them [the hit was off], the Greek’s car pulled up and I had to sit with Chico. I saw them go into the alley. The Statopoulos car came shooting by me. I saw the boys come out of the alley and get into their car so Chico and I left."

Romeo Martin: "I was inside the door to the finance company when I heard the shots. I stepped out and saw Deegan so I put the gun close to his head and fired again to make sure."

Louis Greco: "I was in the alley when the first shot was fired. I stepped out and Deegan was down so I fired at his body."

     Barboza claims he went to see Peter Limone the following day. Handing Barboza $7,500 Limone was alleged to have said, "That’s one less Irish motherfucker." Barboza states that he and Ronnie Casseso were given credit for the hit and were summoned to the Office where Patriarca congratulated them.

     It is not known with certainty how many murders Barboza actually committed. In his book he talks about seven. Others believe the total was 25 or more. What is known is that his boldness was grating on the nerves of Boston’s Italian underworld leadership even to the point that Angiulo wanted him dead. Barboza didn’t realize how far his stock had fallen until October 1966 when he was arrested on a weapons possession charge.

     Barboza sat in jail for weeks wondering why neither Patriarca nor Angiulo had posted his bail. In November two of Barboza’s friends, Arthur C. "Tash" Bratsos and Thomas J. DePrisco, Jr., began collecting money to bail him out. The men had raised over $50,000 by the time they arrived at the Nite Lite Café in the North End. There the bail fundraiser came to an end as both men were brutally murdered and their bodies taken and dumped in South Boston. The money they had raised – depending on which book you read, Barboza $72,000, The Underboss $59,000 – was never recovered. Three weeks later Chico Amico was slain in Revere.

     In January 1967 Barboza was convicted on the weapons charge and sentenced to five years at Walpole state prison. Later that year he began talking to Rico and Condon of the FBI. In The Underboss O’Neil and Lehr describe the results of those talks:

     "In the end, Barboza’s scorecard was impressive – two out of three trials ended in guilty verdicts, sending four mobsters to death row, two to state prison for life, and New England Mafia leader Patriarca to the federal penitentiary in Atlanta."

     The four men sentenced to death were Tameleo, Limone, Greco and Casseso. Salvati and French were given life sentences. That wasn’t all the carnage. Joseph Romeo Martin had been shot to death in July 1965. Along the way defense attorney John Fitzgerald became the target of a mob effort to silence Barboza. On January 30, 1968 a bomb placed under the car of the attorney, which was sold to him by Barboza, exploded costing him his right leg below the knee. Fitzgerald, who went on to become a judge in South Dakota, died this past July.

     Casseso and French eventually confessed to their role in the murder of Teddy Deegan. However, the lawyers and families of Tameleo, Limone, Greco and Salvati fought for years for appeals for their loved ones who were rotting away in prison, three of them on death row. The convicted men, their families and their attorneys waited…and waited…and waited…

Next Week: Why four innocent men were sent to prison for a crime they had no part in.

Short Takes     ^TOP

Atlanta – Steve Kaplan, former owner of the now infamous Gold Club, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison on January 8. Bill Rankin of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, "The Gold Club trial lumbered along through the summer as if it had no end. But Kaplan halted it after three months, agreeing to a plea bargain. Under the deal, he agreed to forfeit $5 million in cash, pay $300,000 in restitution to credit card fraud victims and Delta Air Lines, turn over his interest in the club and secure guilty pleas from a number of his co-defendants." The newspaper reported that six of the jurors attended the sentencing in support of Kaplan. What a waste of time and taxpayer’s money this trial turned out to be.

Buffalo (1) – Frank "Butchie Bifocals" Bifulco, the deposed administrator of Laborers Local 210’s pension fund and who is alleged to have organized crime ties, was the shooting victim of an apparent car-jacking January 5. Bifulco, 56 years old, managed to drive himself to a local hospital, with a bullet in his right forearm, after escaping in his 2001 Cadillac. At the corner of Linwood Avenue and West Utica Street a Black man pointed a gun at him and declared, "Give it up. I’m a crack user. Get out of the car." This leads AmericanMafia.com to question, "Is it proper procedure for a crack addict to make an announcement of this type before committing robbery or is this just a Buffalo thing?" With little mob activity happening these days in Buffalo, Butchie Bifocals used this opportunity to practice omerta. Bifulco told the police he cannot identify the assailant and does not want to prosecute.

Buffalo (2) - The police corruption trial of four Buffalo Police Department detectives got underway last week in federal court before US District judge Richard J. Arcara. The four detectives are Darnyl Parker, John A. Ferby, David Rodriguez and Robert E. Hill. The trial, which is expected to last two months, will feature the testimony of several FBI agents who posed as drug dealers.

Camden – All in the family? David Mendez, the cousin of disgraced former Camden mayor Milton Milan, was arraigned January 4 for the February 12, 2001 murder of Luis Ocasio and held on a $1 million bail. Prosecutors told the judge that Mendez had gotten into an argument with Ocasio. He left and then returned with an assault weapon and killed him. Mendez and Milan had been questioned in the murder of South Camden drug dealer Francisco "Poncho" Chamorro in 1988. Police were told that Milan, Mendez and another man killed Chamorro "to settle a battle over drugs." Milan was questioned extensively about the murder and allegedly failed a lie detector test just weeks after the killing. Authorities are hoping that with Mendez in jail, and facing the possibility of a lengthy prison term, that he will provide information about the Chamorro murder. This comes a week after information about Milan’s appeal was released.

New York City (1) – It didn’t take long for the Big Apple to record its first mob hit of 2002. Martin Bosshart, an alleged associate of the Gambino Family, was murdered on the evening of January 2 by a single gunshot to the back of the head. Police sources reported that Bosshart was in a vehicle with another person driving along a desolate stretch of road in the Howard Beach section of Queens. Bosshart exited the car and was relieving himself when the shooting occurred. Police theorized that after shooting Bosshart his companion drove off in the automobile leaving the victim face up in the street. Although just 31 years old, Bosshart had a lengthy record in both New York and Florida. Charges included forgery, grand larceny, drug trafficking and kidnapping. In addition, Bosshart was a suspect in murders in both the Bronx and Queens and was wanted by police in Florida for questioning in three murders there. In 1995 he was arrested for his involvement in a chop shop ring headed by Bonanno capo Vincent Asaro, which was reputed to be one of the largest in the city. Bosshart’s mother told police that her son told her on Christmas Day, "Mom, I’m trying to get my life together. I’m, busy getting a job. I’m trying hard."

New York City (2) – Carmine Agnello will not be able to see his girlfriend/lover Debra DeCarlo for five years. The acid-tongued, frumpy, former bookkeeper, who once had Agnello’s face tattooed above her ass, had her motion to visit John Gotti’s soon-to-be-ex-son-in-law denied by Judge Nina Gershon on January 4. Gershon, who could have sentenced DeCarlo to up to 14 months in prison on tax charges, placed her on probation for five years due to her "responsibilities as mother to a 12-year-old girl."

Philadelphia – Referred to as the "former first lady of the mob," Deborah Wells Merlino testified in front of a grand jury in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on January 7 about drug trafficking in Philadelphia. The recently maligned wife of imprisoned mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino testified for less than a half-hour with her attorney present. Prohibited from discussing grand jury testimony, attorney Brian McMonagle would only say that Deborah "is in no way a target of a criminal investigation, or engaged in any criminal activity." It is not Deborah’s possible criminal activity, but rather her rumored carnal activity that has raised eyebrows in the City of Brotherly Love. At a raid on the Merlino home on December 6, reputed drug dealer William "Billy" Rinick was found hiding under the bed of one of the Merlino’s children. This coming three days after husband Joey was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Warren – The sister city of Youngstown in the Mahoning Valley has its own share of problems with corrupt public officials. Former building inspector James P. Lapmardo is now a cooperating witness and working with the local FBI. The first victim of Lapmardo’s revelations was James M. Matash, a local contractor. Matash’s company bid on a contract to tear down a hotel that had been damaged by fire. Despite submitting the lowest bid Matash gave Lapmardo $5,000 to seal the contract. John Kane, the supervisory special agent in Youngstown’s FBI office, told reporters that the investigation into bribery and extortion in Trumbull County is only beginning. "We are targeting several more contractors and they know who they are," Kane announced. Matash’s attorney, Joseph W. Gardner contended that his client was the "victim" of a corrupt official. Before US District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells in Cleveland Gardner asked for a sentence of 12 months and one day. Gardner claimed that anyone sentenced to more than a year can get reduced time for good behavior. The attorney told Judge Wells that his client has a wife and two children and was afraid he would not get anymore work unless he paid the bribe. Gardner said his client, "thought that’s the way things were done in the Mahoning Valley." His client thought right!

 

Youngstown – Convicted and imprisoned Mahoning Valley hitman, Mark Batcho, caught a break on January 3 when a judge in Toledo, Ohio threw out his confession in the murder of strip club owner Larry Sisman. Batcho had confessed his role in the wounding of Mahoning County Prosecutor Gary Van Brocklyn and the attempted murder of Mahoning County Prosecutor-elect Paul Gains. Part of his plea bargain, which netted Batcho an 18-year prison sentence, called for him to testify during the state trial of Bernard Altshuler, a long time friend and confidante of Lenine Strollo. To the surprise of prosecutors Batcho blurted out during questioning by his own attorney that he had murdered Sisman in the carport of his Boardman, Ohio apartment in March 1996. Batcho’s lawyer showed, however, that his client had an agreement with the Ohio Attorney General’s office that testimony he gave could not be used against him. Batcho reached an agreement with Assistant Ohio Attorney General Robert F. Smith and will plead to a racketeering charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Batcho is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15.

This Week in Mob History     ^TOP

January 14, 1933 – Angelo Porrello was the fifth member of the Porrello family to be killed during the Prohibition Era. The son of Rosario Porrello, the 21 year-old Angelo was murdered in Buffalo during what police believe was an attempt, with his uncle John Porrello, to "muscle in" on the wholesaling of corn liquor in the city’s Canal Street district. Porrello was killed during a "pitched gun fight" in the street with Samuel Varisco, a Republican district committeeman. Two days later, despondent over her older brother’s death, 19 year-old Frances Porrello attempted suicide by swallowing poison. She survived.

January 14, 1979 – Thomas "Tommy" DeSimone was made famous by actor Joe Pesci’s portrayal of him in the movie Goodfellas – although most of the scenes were fictionalized. In December 1978 DeSimone participated in the infamous Lufthansa heist which netted a then record $5.8 million. The following month DeSimone’s wife reported him missing. He was believed to have been murdered by members of the Gambino Family to avenge his participation in the murder of made member Billy Batts. See my article http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters3/lufthansa/

January 14, 1987 – Salvatore Scarpa was the younger brother of notorious Colombo Family capo Gregory Scarpa, Sr. According to Joseph Cantalupo there was a turf war going on that led to the murders of several rival drug dealers. In his classic book Body Mike, Cantalupo reveals, "Sal was gunned down in the Wimpy Boy Social Club on Seventy-fourth Street in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, where young Scarpa was supposed to run the narcotics operation from."

January 14, 1994 – John Veasey was a hitman for the Stanfa Family in Philadelphia who decided to turn informant and work with the government. When Stanfa heard a rumor that the young gunman was cooperating with law enforcement he ordered Veasey killed. In one of the most bizarre hit attempts gone wrong, Veasey was shot twice in the back of the head, but survived and fought back viciously against his would-be assassins, slashing the face of one of them. The day he was set to testify against Stanfa his brother Billy was murdered in an attempt to silence John. The killing had the opposite effect and John Veasey helped dismantle the Stanfa Family.

January 15, 1945 – Peter LaTempa was a small-time New York hood who once stabbed Joe Valachi during a prison encounter. In 1944 he was fingered by mob assassin Ernest "the Hawk" Rupolo as a witness who could provide corroborating testimony against Vito Genovese in the 1934 murder of Ferdinand "the Shadow" Boccia for which Genovese had fled to Italy in 1937. LaTempa was arrested and held in the Raymond Street Jail in Brooklyn. Suffering from gallstones, LaTempa took medication one night and never woke up. An autopsy showed he had been poisoned. Because of his death the case against Don Vitone was dismissed.

January 15, 1983 – Meyer Lansky was known as the financial genius of the American underworld and was credited with having made the statement, "We’re bigger than US Steel." Lansky, of whom three biographies have been written and a movie starring Richard Dreyfuss made, had been suffering from cancer and an assortment of health problems. Lansky entered Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami on December 31, 1982. Dehydrated and lying in bed with tubes running in and out of his body, Lansky pleaded, "Let me go!" Lansky was buried January 16 in Mount Nebo Cemetery in West Miami.

January 16, 1951 – Gaetano "Thomas" Gagliano was the first leader of what is today the New York Lucchese Family. Although he headed the family for twenty years there is virtually nothing known about him. See my column http://www.americanmafia.com/Allan_May_6-19-00.html

January 17, 1970 – Joseph Francis Civello, according to the government’s Organized Crime: 25 Years After Valachi, was the mob boss of the Dallas Family. According to the government publication after Civello’s death, from natural causes, the crime family was no longer active.

January 17, 1981 – Joseph Giaimo was a drug dealer who operated in Florida and Ohio. According to Cleveland drug dealer Carmine Zagaria, Giaimo was making plans to cut off members of the Cleveland Mafia with whom he was doing business. When this was reported to Cleveland mobsters Joe Gallo and Tommy Sinito they ordered Zagaria to kill Giaimo. The drug dealer was murdered in a garage behind Zagaria’s place of business by Hans "the Surgeon" Graewe and his body was entombed there. On December 11, 1981, in a scene similar to one in the movie "Goodfellas," Zagaria had to dig up the body of Giaimo and move it. Using a 50-pound weight Hans Graewe and Zagaria broke into the makeshift crypt that entombed the body. Giaimo’s decomposing corpse was loaded into a trunk and taken to the water-filled Jacquay Quarries and dumped. See Rick Porrello’s book, To Kill the Irishman: The War that Crippled the Mafia.

January 19, 1971 – George Kelly was a New York City insurance investigator and the son of a police officer. Kelly disappeared and was believed to have been murdered by Joseph Scudiero, a Bonanno Family member, after a dispute outside a gay bar in Greenwich Village. On the eve of his murder trial police allege Scudiero faked his own death and disappeared for 30 years. Captured and brought back, Scudiero pleaded guilty to "bail jumping." However, he was then returned to Pennsylvania to stand trial for the rape of a 12-year-old boy.

January 19, 1993 – Anthony "Gas Pipe" Casso, the murderous underboss of the Lucchese Family, was captured in Mount Olive Township, New Jersey after having fled an indictment in May 1990. During his nearly three years in hiding Casso was alleged to have ordered the murders of 14 men.

January 20, 1996 – Sidney Korshak was a labor lawyer who was reputed to be the Chicago Outfit’s "man in Los Angeles." A wealthy and influential "fixer" for the mob, Korshak lived in Beverly Hills. An obituary stated, "It was a tribute to Sidney Korshak that he was never indicted, despite repeated Federal and state investigations." Korshak died at the age of 88 one day after the death his brother Marshall, a longtime Chicago politician.

Trials and Tribulations     ^TOP

AmericanMafia.com attempts to keep its audience advised of ongoing legal matters in the world of organized crime. New entries and addition to existing information will appear in RED. Due to space constraints, in the future the complete "Trials and Tribulations" listing will only be shown on the first of the month. Weekly we will show the ones that are due to occur in the next 30 days and any new additions.

Trials:

January 7, 2002 – Atlanta – Former Atlanta police officer Jack Redlinger goes on trial for allegedly fixing traffic tickets for Gold Club employees in exchange for cash. Redlinger is the last of 17 people indicted in the Gold Club case. Everyone else has either gone to trial or pled guilty. I have not been able to find any information regarding this.

January 28, 2002 – Boston – Retired state trooper Richard J, Schneiderman goes on trial on charges that he hampered the FBI’s search for James "Whitey" Bulger by letting Bulger family members know that the FBI had requested pen registers on their telephones.

January 2002 – Chicago – Michael Spano, Sr., alleged mob boss of legendary Cicero, Illinois, goes on trial for attempting to bribe a high-ranking federal official to obtain a pardon or clemency for former Chicago Outfit boss Rocco Infelice in 1998.

February 2002 – Boston – Stephen "the Rifleman" Fleming is scheduled for trial this month. The co-leader of the Winter Hill Gang is charged with killing ten people.

February 2002 – Miami – Genovese mobster and Trafficante Family associate John Mamone and members of the Tampa family's Miami faction go on trial for racketeering and money laundering. AM.com contributor Scott Deitche will keep us posted on this one when it comes up.

February 4, 2002 – Cleveland – Mahoning County Congressman James A. Traficant, Jr. begins his third trial. The flamboyant former sheriff is one for two in successfully representing himself.

Tribulations:

January 11, 2002 – Queens, NY – Ralph Romano will be sentenced for his recent conviction in the murder of John Spensieri

January 21, 2002 – New York City – John "Porky" Zancocchio, a Bonanno Family soldier will be sentenced for his October 28 guilty plea to charges of loan sharking and tax evasion.

January 23, 2002 – Boston – Four men found guilty of involvement in an armored car heist will be sentenced.



Contact: AllanMay@AmericanMafia.com




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