DeLeo case based on cellphone tap

A federal racketeering case against Ralph DeLeo, 66, of Somerville, MA, is based in large part upon a tap of DeLeo's cellphone from January through November of 2009, according to a report by Shelley Murphy of the Boston Globe. In December, DeLeo was indicted for racketeering conspiracy. The indictment names him the "street boss" of New York City's Colombo Crime Family as well as leader of an underworld crew operating in Greater Boston. DeLeo is being held in Arkansas, where he also faces cocaine trafficking charges.

In addition to DeLeo, the indictment also names Franklin M. Goldman, 66, of Randolph, MA; Edmond Kulesza, 56, of Somerville; and George Wiley Thompson, 54, of Cabot, Arkansas, as participants in a plot to distribute marijuana and cocaine, to extort money from victims and to collect loansharking debts.

Prosecutors say DeLeo ran Colombo rackets for most of 2009, reporting to boss Carmine "the Snake" Persico and his son Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico, both imprisoned.

Feds won't try Gotti a fifth time

Federal prosecutors announced that they will not pursue a fifth racketeering trial for John A. "Junior" Gotti, according to a story by Alison Gendar, Stephen Barcelo and Bill Hutchinson of the New York Daily News. Gotti, 45-year-old son of the late Gambino Crime Family boss John J. Gotti, was tried four times. Each trial ended with a hung jury. The decision was reached six weeks after the latest mistrial.

Merola pleads guilty to racketeering

Andrew Merola, reputed high-ranking member of the Gambino Crime Family in New Jersey, pleaded guilty in early January to one count of racketeering conspiracy, according to an Associated Press report.

Merola, a resident of East Hanover, NJ, was one of 23 reputed Mafiosi arrested in May 2008. He admitted to participation in a crime ring that extorted money from lunch truck vendors and used fake barcodes to buy goods from chain stores at reduced prices.