Alleged Bonanno crew indicted in Florida

Eleven residents of Florida's Palm Beach and Broward Counties were indicted May 21 on federal racketeering charges, according to a report by Don Jordan of the Palm Beach Post. Prosecutors say the 11 comprised a crew of the New York-based Bonanno Crime Family, to which they made regular tribute payments.

The 11 defendants are Thomas Fiore, 46, Palm Beach; Billie Robertson, 34, Boynton Beach; Lee Klein, 39, Boynton Beach; Daniel Young, 57, Delray Beach; Guy Alessi, 81, Delray Beach; Kenneth Dunn, 44, Boca Raton; Nicholas Fiore, 49, Boca Raton; Frank D'Amato, 48, of West Palm Beach; Pasquale Rubbo, 43, Coral Springs; Joseph Rubbo, 45, Coral Springs; and Marc Broder, 42, Coral Springs.

Prosecutors say Thomas Fiore (right) is an associate of the Bonanno Crime Family and the leader of its South Florida operations. None of the defendants is accused of being a formally inducted or "made" member of the criminal organization. Prosecutors say the crew engaged in fraud, narcotics trafficking, gambling and extortion.

The group was reportedly exposed through the work of an undercover FBI agent who posed as a corrupt businessman. The agent won the crew's trust by appearing to aid its money-laundering operations. The agent wore a hidden recording device to capture crew member conversations, according to a story by Curt Anderson of the Miami Herald.

Thomas and Nicholas Fiore and Pasquale and Joseph Rubbo were free on probation or supervised release after recent guilty pleas relating to other Bonanno criminal activities, prosecutors said.

Thomas Fiore pleaded guilty to state racketeering charges last year, according to the Miami Herald. While on probation, federal agents discovered a firearm during a search of his home. He was subsequently arrested for possession of the firearm. Then, as he was held on the possession charge, Fiore allegedly attempted to obstruct justice by asking someone else to claim ownership of the weapon. Prosecutors charge that Fiore burned down his own fitness center business in 2007 to defraud his insurance company.

Bonanno associate Young sentenced to life

Joseph Young, former associate of the Bonanno Crime Family, was sentenced last week to a mandatory term of life imprisonment for a 2008 murder conviction and other crimes, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Young, 30, was convicted of the March 29, 2005, murder of Robert McKelvey. According to prosecutors, Young belonged to a Bonanno crew led by crime family soldier Gino Galestro. Galestro ordered the murder of McKelvey, who was also a crew associate, after McKelvey openly boasted of the criminal organization's activities.

McKelvey was lured to the historic Kreischer Mansion on Staten Island by another crime family associate. Young worked at the mansion as a caretaker and lived there. Young stabbed McKelvey as he entered the mansion. The victim fled. Young tackled McKelvey and dragged him to a garden pool, drowing him there. Young and three Bonanno associates dismembered McKelvey's body and burned the remains in the mansion's furnace. Ashes and bone fragments were later disposed of in the facility's septic system.

Galestro previously pleaded guilty to ordering the McKelvey murder.

Young was also convicted of arson, attempted arson, extortion, gunpoint robbery, robbery conspiracy, assault, and illegal purchases and transport of firearms.

"Young's gruesome criminal conduct reminds us that organized crime is alive and well," said U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell. "We will continue to prosecute the members and associates of organized crime who engage in such wanton acts of violence in our communities."

Bonanno associate convicted of 2005 killing

Joseph "Joe Black" Young, 30, a Bonanno Crime Family associate, was convicted Monday of the March 29, 2005, mob murder of Robert McKelvey, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News. Young's attorney plans to appeal the verdict.

At trial, Young admitted to dismembering McKelvey's remains and disposing of them in a furnace at the Kreischer Mansion on Staten Island. He denied causing McKelvey's death. Young was an associate of a Bonanno crew led by Mafia soldier Gino Galestro. In August, Galestro pleaded guilty to ordering McKelvey's death.

Admits disposing of body but not killing

Joseph "Joe Black" Young, associate of the Bonanno Crime Family, on Monday acknowledged dismembering and incinerating the remains of Robert McKelvey but denied causing McKelvey's death, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

McKelvey, 39, was stabbed and drowned to death in March 2005 at the Kreischer Mansion (left) on Staten Island. His remains were disposed of in the mansion's furnace. Young was a caretaker at the site, while he was also working as an associate in the crew of Bonanno soldier Gino Galestro.

Young, who was testifying in federal court in his own defense, blamed mob soldier Michael "Sonny" Maggio for the McKelvey killing. Young admitted to most other crimes included in his federal racketeering indictment.

Galestro is believed to have ordered the killing of McKelvey following a financial dispute.

Murder victim might have been called to stand

Court documents link a murdered Staten Island restauranteur with the Bonanno Crime Family, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News. While there is no indication that the late Frank Fresca was cooperating with authorities, the News reports that he might have been called on to testify about the crime family's involvement in his restaurant.

Papers filed this week by federal prosecutors indicate that the Fresca's by the Bay restaurant on Staten Island (right) operated under the protection of reputed Bonanno soldier Gino Galestro and his associates.

Galestro (left), who will turn 40 later this month, pleaded guilty Aug. 1 to ordering the killing of Bonanno associate Robert McKelvey on the grounds of the Kreischer Mansion on Staten Island. Galestro was indicted for ordering that murder and for other racketeering-related crimes back in May 2006. Joseph "Joe Black" Young, reportedly a former bouncer at Fresca's by the Bay restaurant, is accused of stabbing and drowing McKelvey and is scheduled to come to trial soon.

Fresca, 66, was shot seven times outside of his restaurant just after midnight on July 30.