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1980:

Johnston, US: Raymond L.S. Patriarca arrested at his home in Johnston, R.I., on a charge of ordering the 1965 murder of Raymond (Baby) Curcio. Rudolph Sciarra, a long-time soldier in the Patriarca crime family is charged with being an accessory before the fact in the murder of Curcio.

Raymond L.S. Patriarca

Providence, RI, US: FBI agents slipped into Cicilline's office and planted electronic listening devices. Two months later, agents walked in the front door with a search warrant. The listening devices were part of an investigation targeting Mafia boss Patriarca, Mafia under boss and paralegal Bianco, and lawyer Cicilline, federal prosecutors later revealed. One case emerged from the bugs — a bank-fraud case against Bobo Marrapese and another mobster who had been recorded talking with Bianco.

New York, NY: Richard “Red Bird” Gomes, a close friend of John Gotti is suspected of participating in the disappearance and murder of Gotti's neighbor, John Favara, who killed Gotti's  twelve year old son in a car accident.

1981:

Boston, Mass,US: Anguilo’s headquarters, known as ”The Dog House”  in Boston's North End is “bugged” by the FBI.

Florida, US: Raymond Patriarca: Arthur Coia Sr., vice president of Laborers International Union of North America: his son, Arthur Jr., and former Rhode Island state Rep. Albert LePore, a law partner of the elder Coia were named in a sealed indictment that accused them of violating the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Previously indicted in the investigation of the LIU are Santo Trafficante and Anthony Accardo of Chicago. The indictment charges that the Coias, Lepore and Patriarca conspired to skim money intended for union members' insurance benefits through the use of kickbacks, payoffs and improper personal expenses. The indictment also states that in 1976, Patriarca stated that the insurance business of the Laborers Union would be controlled by "The Family." Patriarca would control business in the Northeast, Trafficante in the South and Anthony "Big Tuna" Accardo in the Midwest.

1982:

Providence, RI, US: Anthony "The Moron" Mirabella an underworld “loose cannon” shot and killed at Fidas' Restaurant, Valley Street, Providence.

Providence, RI, US: Rudolph Sciarra was convicted for providing the guns for Curcio's slaying. He spent more than a decade in the Adult Correctional Institutions on that charge.

Providence, RI, US: Raymond “Slick” Vecchio an underworld “loose cannon” shot and killed while seated in a Providence restaurant. Kevin Hanrahan involvement is suspected.

1983:

Providence, RI, US: Raymond Patriarca was charged with ordering the 1965 murder of Raymond “Baby” Curcio.

Florida, US: Peter Gilbert, a career criminal who was incarcerated in Florida, escaped and telephoned, Gelardo Mastracchio. Gelardo, a notorious organized crime figure, invited Gilbert to return home and partake of various illicit enterprises. Gilbert accepted this invitation and surreptitiously went to Rhode Island.

1984:

Providence, RI, US: Patriarca is arrested, while in the hospital, for ordering the 1968 murder of bank robber Robert Candos. Patriarca believed Candos was going to testify against him.

North Providence, US: July 11, at about 11:30 in the morning the North Providence Fire Department Rescue Squad receives an emergency call from a Douglas Avenue address. When emergency workers arrive they find Patriarca in full arrest. Rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, doctors kept up intense efforts to revive him including electrical shock and the implanting of a cardiac pacemaker. At 1:00 Patriarca was pronounced dead of a massive heart attack at the age of 76.

Boston,Mass. US: In the wake of Patriarca’s death, Angiulo, although still in jail awaiting trial, was hoping to succeed to the top spot. But it was not to be. Disliked in Providence, Angiulo was demoted to a mere soldier when top lieutenant Ilario “Larry” Zannino threw his support behind the late mob boss’s son, Raymond J. “Junior” Patriarca.Raymond J. “Junior” Patriarca’s’ leadership is approved by Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno the head of the Genovese family in New York. Patriarca quickly rewards Zannino for his backing by appointing him consigliere. Zannino had been indicted on the same racketeering charges that had brought down the Angiulo family, but he was tried separately.

Raymond Patriarca Jr.

Florida,USA:  After seven weeks of trial, a federal judge in Miami has dismissed labor racketeering charges against Arthur E. Coia of Providence, national secretary-treasurer of the Laborers International Union of North America: former Providence Rep. Albert J. Lepore and Joseph J. Vaccaro Jr. of Winchester, Mass., a former trustee of a union training school because the prosecution failed to prove a conspiracy existed between the defendants and an informant during the five years before their indictment in September, 1981.The dismissal of the case cannot be appealed by the government, according to prosecution and defense lawyers. Patriarca is now deceased.

1985:

Providence, R.I., US: Peter Gilbert remained in Mastracchio’s employ until he was arrested in February by the Providence Police on drug and gun charges. Sensing that Mastracchio had a hand in his capture, Gilbert agreed to assist the authorities and offered to become an informant on organized crime.

Massachusetts, US: Henry Tameleo died in prison of respiratory failure. He had served 17 years of a life sentence for his role in the Deegan murder. At the time, He died the oldest inmate in the Massachusetts prison system at age 84.

Massachusetts, US: Zannino was ordered jailed by a U.S. magistrate. The role of under boss went to Francesco “Paul” Intiso. A contemporary and friend of the elder Patriarca, Intiso served as a kind of caretaker until his death in 1985. His role as under boss was filled by William P. “The Wild Man” Grasso of New Haven, Connecticut. Grasso had a close working relationship with the crime families of New York. Some crime authorities believe the under boss position went to 70 year-old Charles Quintino of Revere, Massachusetts, because Junior needed someone closer to home to oversee the Boston operations.

Providence,RI:  Richard Gomes opens fire on two men who were sitting in a car eating wieners outside the New York Systems diner in Providence’s Olneyville Square. He fired four shots into the two men, leaving them seriously wounded. Gomes went on trial for the shootings and was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder.

Providence,RI: The trial for the murder of Anthony "The Moron" Mirabella proceeds. Charged are Nicholas L. Bianco, 52, of Barrington with conspiracy and aiding and abetting Mirabella's killers. Also on trial are Frank L. "Bobo" Marrapese, 40, Thomas Pisaniello, 44, and Vito DeLuca, 39, all of Providence, are charged with murdering Mirabella and conspiring to commit murder.

Providence,RI: A Superior Court judge dismisses charges that organized crime figure Nicholas L. Bianco sanctioned the 1982 killing of Anthony "The Moron" Mirabella. Judge John E. Orton III said the state presented insufficient evidence against Bianco, 52, of Barrington, who had been charged with conspiracy to murder Mirabella and with aiding and abetting those accused of killing him. It would be "a travesty of justice" to submit the case to a jury, Orton said in granting a motion for acquittal after the prosecution rested its case against Bianco and three co-defendants. He argued that the state had failed in its effort to portray Bianco as an organized-crime kingpin who had approved the killing. Bianco also has been charged in the 1975 killing of mob enforcer Richard A. "Dickie" Callei. He was released after posting $15,000 cash bail pending trial on charges that he aided and abetted Callei's alleged killers.

1986:

Providence, RI, US: Peter Gilbert's cooperation proved fruitful, shedding light on numerous unsolved crimes. He told the state police that Gerald S. Mastracchio, the son of Gelardo had bragged about killing a friend by beating him, transporting him to the Jamestown Bridge, and throwing him over while still alive. Although Gilbert did not know the victim's identity (Richard Valente), he quoted Mastracchio as saying that he had committed the murder to prevent his victim from talking to the authorities.

Massachusetts, US: Jerry Anguilo was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to forty-five years in prison.

US: Federal authorities estimate that the Mafia families across the United States include 1,700 "made" members and many thousands of associates. The Mafia, which remains the dominant force in the American organized crime Syndicate, continues to draw its membership from those of Italian and Sicilian descent. But affiliated organizations include gangs and individuals of every ethnic background.

1987:

Providence, RI, US: Gerald S. Mastracchio is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Richard Valente.

Providence, RI, US: Frank L. "Bobo" Marrapese, a member of the Patriarca crime family is convicted in Superior Court for the slaying of Richard A. "Dickie" Callei.

1988:

Lincoln, R.I. US: Peter Gilbert, at age 43 died of a heart attack after a traffic altercation.

1989:

Providence, RI, US: Law enforcement experts questioned the leadership abilities of Junior Patriarca. Some believed that Grasso, with his New York City connections, was the real power in New England. If he was, his reign was short-lived. On June 16, the 62-year-old Grasso was found along the banks of the Connecticut River with a bullet in the back of his head.

Providence, RI, US: After the Grasso murder, Nicholas “Nicky” Bianco of Providence was considered by the FBI the “unofficial” head of the Providence operations with Junior serving as a titular head. The same day Grasso was found dead, Frances P. “Cadillac Frank” Salemme was shot and seriously wounded in Saugus, Massachusetts. The murder of Grasso and the shooting of Salemme were an orchestrated attack by members of what would come to be known as the "renegade faction" of the Boston underworld. The leadership of this Boston group consisted of new family consigliere Joseph "J. R." Russo, his stepbrother Robert F. "Bobby Russo" Carrozza, and Vincent "Vinnie the Animal" Ferrara, both capos. Russo had gained respect in the New England mob by killing government informant, and former feared hit man, Joseph Barboza in San Francisco in 1976. By seizing the leadership of the New England family the group sought to control gambling and the extortion of bookmakers, drug dealers and restaurant owners in the area. The war that resulted from this takeover attempt lasted until 1994 and claimed more than a dozen lives.

Medford, Mass, US: The first time members of law enforcement were able to tape a family initiation ceremony, which crime family members had denied for years ever took place. The taping of the ceremony would create much embarrassment for the New England family and would be used during other mob trials for years to prove the existence of a secret criminal society. Angelo Mercurio, an FBI informant surreptitiously recorded the ceremony. Attendees at the ceremony included Raymond Patriarca Jr., underboss Nicholas Bianco; consigliere Joe Russo; and caporegimes Biaggio Digiacoma, Vincent Ferrara, Matthew Gugleilmetti, Dennis Lepore, and Robert Carozza. Mercurio's recordings led to the prosecution and conviction of dozens of criminals. In 1991, Patriarca pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges and was sent to prison for seven years. After Patriarca's indictment, Mercurio disappeared from New England.

Raymond Patriarca Jr (Left) and Angelo Mercurio

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