New England Organized Crime » New England

Feds Ask to Empanel Anonymous Jury in Mob Trial

fdvent1 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:07 +0000

The trial against accused former mob boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio and six others who are accused of running a continuing criminal enterprise that engaged in extortion of strip clubs for protection payments is scheduled to begin on April 23. The Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s office, citing concerns over jury safety and extensive media coverage, is asking that a judge empanel an “anonymous jury” in the upcoming organized crime trial against a reputed former mob boss. In a motion Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney William Ferland said a juror's personal information should be omitted from documents and that the jurors be placed in “partial sequestration.” “The Government further requests that each trial day, the United States Marshals Service transport the jurors as a group to and from the courthouse,” Ferland wrote. “This procedure will minimize the burden on the jurors and insulate them from intrusion, intimidation or harassment.” In the filing, Ferland said in considering the government’s request, the judge should factor in that the defendants are “members or associates of a notorious organized crime enterprise.” “This is a factor that should be considered in determining whether or not these defendants could seek ‘outside assistance’ in an effort to intimidate or [...] Related posts:

Jury Deliberates In Vincent Basciano Trial The racketeering case against reputed Bonanno boss Vincent Basciano involving...
NY’s Junior Gotti gets his 4th hung jury in 5 years I find this an interesting story in that it appears...
“Baby Shacks” Defense Team Out Of Time In Providence R.I. the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the clock...

Providence’s Federal Hill vs. Boston’s North End

fdvent1 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:54:34 +0000

A really nice pictorial stroll down the streets of Boston’s North End and Providence’s Federal Hill, both centers of organized crime. Both have been the the Little Italie's of their respective cities for well over a century, yet the two neighborhoods could not look more different. Worth checking out. Source: Boston.com addGooglePlusOne(12986, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/providences-federal-hill-vs-bostons-north-end/"); Related posts: Reputed Patriarca Capo DeLuca Will Be Witness Against “Whitey” Bulger The recent buzz on the street is Reputed Patriarca capo... Goodfella Henry Hill Still Living in Hiding As the 20th anniversary of Martin Scorsese's gangster movie Goodfellas... Randolph Pizzolo Had a Premonition Federal prosecutors in the racketeering trial of reputed Bonanno boss... Related posts:

Reputed Patriarca Capo DeLuca Will Be Witness Against “Whitey” Bulger The recent buzz on the street is Reputed Patriarca capo...
Goodfella Henry Hill Still Living in Hiding As the 20th anniversary of Martin Scorsese's gangster movie Goodfellas...
Randolph Pizzolo Had a Premonition Federal prosecutors in the racketeering trial of reputed Bonanno boss...

Vermont Police: Gang Task Force Needed

fdvent1 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:51:21 +0000

In Bennington Vermont local and state police are working with lawmakers to create a statewide gang task force and amend state laws to counter a growing illicit drug trade they say is driven by gangs and organized crime. Bennington County Sen. Dick Sears, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been meeting quietly behind the scenes for months with police to strategize on how to stave off drug use and its associated crimes. A dedicated task force, continued cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies and changing the state's conspiracy laws will help, Sears said. Director of the Vermont State Police, Col. Thomas J. L'Esperance, said there is no denying that gangs and other organized groups are moving drugs from out-of-state into Vermont and driving ancillary crimes like burglary that support drug habits. Low-level gang associates are turning up as dealers in each corner of the state, he said. "There's a level of gang activity, gang influence, over a lot of the drugs that are being distributed across the state. It's more organized than it has been in the past," L'Esperance said. "What we're finding in pockets across the state, the drugs that we're buying, there's a network in [...] Related posts:

19 Arrested by Feds in 5 State Biker Gang Sweep Federal officials said Wednesday members of the Pagans motorcycle gang...
Operation Club Med Nets 27 Video Report In Providence R.I. members of a state drug task force...
Danbury Bodybuilder Charged in Steroid Ring A local bodybuilder and personal trainer has been arrested as...

Convicted Mob Associate Iafrate Hospitalized

fdvent1 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:09:38 +0000

In Providence Thomas Iafrate has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack two weeks before having to report to a federal prison. Iafrate, 70, of Johnston, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in July and was sentenced to 30 months behind bars. Iafrate's defense attorneys said their client was suffering from health problems and in a court filing voiced concern that a temporary prison might not be able to handle his medical conditions. Sources say Iafrate is expected to recover from the heart attack but it's unclear as to what impact his hospitalization will have on his scheduled incarceration. Source: WPRI addGooglePlusOne(12945, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/convicted-mob-associate-iafrate-hospitalized/"); Related posts: Iafrate Asks For Delay In Sentencing Mob associate Thomas Iafrate, who admitted to participating in the... Two Weeks of Freedom For Mob Associate According to court filings accused mob associate Thomas Iafrate, 70,... Iafrate Nabbed in Mob Bust Faces Judge The man accused of helping Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio shake... Related posts:

Iafrate Asks For Delay In Sentencing Mob associate Thomas Iafrate, who admitted to participating in the...
Two Weeks of Freedom For Mob Associate According to court filings accused mob associate Thomas Iafrate, 70,...
Iafrate Nabbed in Mob Bust Faces Judge The man accused of helping Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio shake...

Another Bite Of the Apple For “Baby Shacks”

fdvent1 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:58:48 +0000

U.S. District Court Judge William Smith gave Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio’s lawyers the okay to file an appeal with the First Circuit after missing a 14-day deadline to get the paperwork in. One of Manocchio’s attorney's Joseph Balliro asked the judge for leeway because he said a close family member had fallen ill. Prosecutor William Ferland of the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s Office argued Manocchio had several members of the legal team that could have met the deadline. Balliro said he was “pleased “ that Judge Smith granted the motion and plans on filing with the First Circuit immediately. “I fully expect [the appeals court] will grant us a hearing,” Balliro said. Source: WPRI addGooglePlusOne(12900, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/another-bite-of-the-apple-for-baby-shacks/"); Related posts: “Baby Shacks” Defense Team Out Of Time In Providence R.I. the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the clock... “Baby Shacks” Less One Lawyer One of Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio's defense lawyers, Boston attorney... Second Try At Bail For “Baby Shacks” Investigative reporter Tim White reports that reputed former head of... Related posts:

“Baby Shacks” Defense Team Out Of Time In Providence R.I. the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the clock...
“Baby Shacks” Less One Lawyer One of Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio's defense lawyers, Boston attorney...
Second Try At Bail For “Baby Shacks” Investigative reporter Tim White reports that reputed former head of...

Tale of the Tape: Folcarelli too “violent”

fdvent1 — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:40:27 +0000

Following the requests of Raymond “Scarface” Jenkins and Albino "Albi" Folcarelli for separate trial's from reputed former mob boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio, the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s office filed a 19-page response shedding new light on some of the evidence in the case. The filing reveals the investigators plan to use a taped conversation between accused capo regime Edward “Eddie” Lato and “another made (New England La Cosa Nostra) member” at trial. Investigators say the recording shows Lato discussed the possibility of using Jenkins to collect protection payments from the Cadillac Lounge in the weeks following Manocchio’s arrest. “During those conversations, Lato, as the NELCN capo, ultimately decided against using Folcarelli for this extortion, concluding that someone like Folcarelli may be too violent to send in to re-start extortion payments from the Cadillac Lounge,” Prosecutor William Ferland wrote. “Especially given the law enforcement scrutiny already associated with the Cadillac Lounge investigation.” Ferland wrote that even though the shakedown did not involve strip clubs, it still proves there was an ongoing criminal organization, and they should all stand trial together. “Simply put, it was just one of many extortions committed by and with the approval and authority of the NELCN [...] Related posts:

Reputed New England LCN Associate Sentenced Thomas Iafrate, 70, of Johnston, R.I., was sentenced in U.S....
Fed Motion Reveals “Made” Men To Testify A motion filed in U.S. District Court reveals federal prosecutors...
Multiple Motions in R.I. Mob Case U.S. District Court Judge William Smith on Thursday had several...

New Book: “Boston Organized Crime”

fdvent1 — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:44:09 +0000

For the past decade, Dorchester native and longtime reporter Emily Sweeney has spent hours pouring through police records and press clips concerning some of the bloodiest stories in Boston’s rich history of organized crime – Curran’s included. Sweeney will release a book, “Boston Organized Crime” on Jan. 30 with more than 200 rarely-seen images documenting the rise and fall of mobsters in the Greater Boston area. The book, part of a series published by Arcadia Publishing, reads as something like a morbid coffee table book, offering readers a firsthand view of some of the city’s most notorious gangsters from the prohibition era through the rise of the Italian Mafia and the violent gang wars of the 1960s that left a trail of bodies throughout the city. While the subject matter is at times quite graphic, Sweeney adds some touches of personality by letting gangsters speak for themselves. “Power of the lam means you get a lesser sentence,” reads a quote from late 80s Mafia member and frequent fugitive Sonny Mercurio. “I advocate everybody run away.” For Sweeney, who combined file footage from police records with present-day shots of crime scenes, local stories like Curran’s hit close to home. “It was [...] Related posts:

Mob Unit Has Mob Ties Ex NJ Cop Alleges James Sweeney, a former state investigator for the Organized Crime...
Mob Unit Has Mob Ties Alleges Ex-NJ Cop Update Last month James Sweeney, former senior investigator for the Organized...
New Book On Whitey Bulger “Betrayal” Former FBI agent Robert Fitzpatrick, in his book “Betrayal: Whitey...

“Baby Shacks” Defense Team Out Of Time

fdvent1 — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:25:15 +0000

In Providence R.I. the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the clock has run out on Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio’s request to be freed on bail. In a Thursday filing, federal prosecutor William Ferland said Manocchio’s attorneys had 14 days to notify the courts they were going to appeal the decision that kept the 84 year old accused former mob boss locked up. Manocchio’s attorney Joseph Balliro asked a judge to excuse the delay in a motion filed Wednesday, saying he became distracted when a close family member fell ill. In response, prosecutors said there were other members of Manocchio’s legal team that could have met the deadline. “It is most unfortunate that Mr. Balliro had to contend with a close family member’s health issue,” Ferland wrote. “That personal setback however, does not excuse attorneys Juliane Balliro or [Edward] Romano from performing the very basic administrative function of filing an appeal.” Manocchio has been in federal custody since his arrest in January 2011. He is currently being house at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. Source: WPRI addGooglePlusOne(12856, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/baby-shacks-defense-team-out-of-time/"); Related posts: “Baby Shacks” Less One Lawyer One of Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio's defense lawyers, Boston attorney... Second Try At Bail For [...] Related posts:

“Baby Shacks” Less One Lawyer One of Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio's defense lawyers, Boston attorney...
Second Try At Bail For “Baby Shacks” Investigative reporter Tim White reports that reputed former head of...
No Bail For “Baby Shacks” Following a statement by U.S. District Court Judge William Smith...

R.I. Mob Trial to Begin in April

fdvent1 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:21:51 +0000

Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio, reputed former boss of the New England crime family and others are accused of shaking down area strip clubs for protection money. Also charged in the case is reputed capo regime Edward “Eddie” Lato and reputed mobster Alfred “Chippy” Scivola. They have all pleaded not guilty. A U.S District Court Judge informed the defendants Wednesday that the trial will begin on April 23 and is scheduled to continue for two months. Source: WPRI addGooglePlusOne(12840, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/r-i-mob-trial-to-begin-in-april/"); Related posts: Reputed Mob Associate Seeks Separate Trial In Providence Albino "Albi" Folcarelli, indicted alongside several alleged mobsters... Prosecution proposes High profile mob trial of Freddy Geas move to April 5 Questions abound after lawyers proposed a new trial date and... Delay In Chicago Outfit Trial A racketeering trial against Jerry Scalise, Art Rachel and Robert... Related posts:

Reputed Mob Associate Seeks Separate Trial In Providence Albino "Albi" Folcarelli, indicted alongside several alleged mobsters...
Prosecution proposes High profile mob trial of Freddy Geas move to April 5 Questions abound after lawyers proposed a new trial date and...
Delay In Chicago Outfit Trial A racketeering trial against Jerry Scalise, Art Rachel and Robert...

Third Delay in Enrico Ponzo Theft

fdvent1 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:02:50 +0000

Kelly Verceles was supposed to begin a jury trial Tuesday on felony charges of criminal conspiracy, grand theft, and burglary after FBI and Owyhee County Sheriff’s officials say he tore up the floor of accused mobster Enrico Ponzo’s Marsing home and stole more than $150,000 in cash and gold last winter. The trial has now been delayed for the third time. A status hearing is set for Jan. 27 in Owyhee County. If a new jury trial date is set, it will be the fourth one since Verceles’ arrest in April. Ponzo lived in Marsing for more than a decade with a longtime girlfriend and two children before his arrest in February. Federal officials say he’s been a fugitive from state drug charges in Massachusetts since 1994. Ponzo was indicted in 1997 on more serious charges, including attempting to kill former mob boss Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme. Source: Idaho Statesman addGooglePlusOne(12838, "http://newenglandorganizedcrime.com/third-delay-in-enrico-ponzo-theft/"); Related posts: Ponzo Under Reported Assets – May Face Additional Charges Reputed Patriarca associate Enrico Ponzo, apprehended after seventeen years on... Alleged Mobster Ponzo Returned to Massachusetts Reputed New England mobster Enrico Ponzo who hid out in... Enrico Ponzo’s Life On The Lam To his Idaho neighbors, Jay [...] Related posts:

Ponzo Under Reported Assets – May Face Additional Charges Reputed Patriarca associate Enrico Ponzo, apprehended after seventeen years on...
Alleged Mobster Ponzo Returned to Massachusetts Reputed New England mobster Enrico Ponzo who hid out in...
Enrico Ponzo’s Life On The Lam To his Idaho neighbors, Jay Shaw was an outgoing, glad-handing...