Leo's sentence grows by 18 months

A conviction for loansharking and gambling has increased the prison sentence of a jailed former Genovese Crime Family boss by 18 months, according to a story by Bruce Golding of the New York Post. Daniel "the Lion" Leo, 69, is 34 months into a five-year prison sentence. Manhattan federal Judge Richard Holwell decided March 24 that the more recent loansharking and gambling charges should have been part of the original 2007 case against Leo. The judge sentenced Leo to 70 months for the additional charges but decided that Leo should be credited for the 34 months served and that half of the remaining time be served concurrently with the original five-year sentence.

Feds grab treasure at Calabrese home

Federal agents executed a search warrant March 23 at the home of convicted Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese Sr. (left) and came away with a sensational haul, according to a story by Craig Wall of Fox Chicago News.

Behind a family portrait in the basement of Calabrese's Oak Brook home, agents found a compartment in the wall paneling. Inside they reportedly discovered seven loaded handguns, 15 manila envelopes containing a total of $728,481 in cash, about 1,000 items of jewelry, recording devices and casette tapes. The items and cash were seized by the government. As part of his Family Secrets Case sentence, Calabrese owes the government $20 million and owes the families of his victims $4.4 million. Calabrese was convicted of racketeering and of participation in 13 gangland murders.

Records of the Chicago Crime Commission indicate that Calabrese was involved in criminal activities since he was a teenager. A former mob loan shark who demanded interest as high as 520% a year, he was convicted in 1954 in federal court for possession of stolen cars in interstate commerce. He has arrests for robbery, stolen autos and illegal use of firearms. His loan sharking ring operated from 1970 to 1990s. Calabrese headed the 26th Street Crew of the regional underworld Outfit. The crew oversaw gambling and loan sharking in the Chicago area.

Basciano will face capital charges

Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano's efforts to have capital charges against him thrown out have failed. An request filed with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals was denied on March 22, according to a story by Janon Fisher of the New York Post. Basciano had hoped to convince the appeals court that his earlier conviction as boss of the Bonanno Crime Family included the three racketeering offenses with which he is now charged. The court ruled that only one of the offenses could be thrown out. The other two, including a capital murder conspiracy charge for the Nov. 30, 2004, killing of Ralph "Randy" Pizzolo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, were left in place. A death penalty case against Basciano is scheduled to begin in 2011.

Two shot dead in Old Montreal

Two men were shot dead in Old Montreal on March 18, causing police to scramble to find links to Canada's most prominent Mafia family, according to a story by Andy Blatchford and Sidhartha Banerjee of the Toronto Star. Police did not immediately identify the two victims, who were shot at a high-end St. Jacques Street clothing store. Two bystanders were struck and injured by flying lead. The gunmen escaped the area on foot. They were seen discarding clothing and Rastafarian-style wigs as they walked briskly away.

Detectives had been expecting reprisals for the Dec. 28 slaying of Nicolo Rizzuto, son of jailed Montreal crime boss Vito Rizzuto. Vito Rizzuto is serving a 10-year sentence in Colorado for his involvement in three Brooklyn, NY, racketeering murders in 1981.

The March 18 killings were later linked to Ducarme Joseph, owner of the clothing store, according to a story by the AFP news service. Police speculated that Joseph, reportedly tied to Montreal street gangs, was the target of the attack. A Joseph bodyguard was one of the victims. Canadian organized crime expert Antonio Nicaso said the Rizzuto Mafia was seeing increased competition from Calabrian criminal organizations as well as street gangs. The competition, he suggested, may be receiving encouragement from New York Mafia groups.

Gangster museum opens in New York

The Museum of the American Gangster, 80 St. Marks Place in New York City, opens its doors this spring. A special pre-opening event is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 7. Admission during the preview period is priced at $10.

The museum, constructed within an East Village structure that once housed a Prohibition Era speakeasy, includes 800 square feet of gallery space. It features artifacts and documents related to organized crime. Lorcan Otway and Eric Ferrara founded the museum with assistance from crime historians and descendants of crime figures.

Hours of operation will be noon to 5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.

More information: http://moagnyc.org/

RI mobster warned to avoid underworld pals

On Feb. 22, Rhode Island Magistrate Lincoln Almond warned Anthony St. Laurent Jr. to stay away from seven men identified by prosecutors as Mafia members and associates, according to a story by Tim White of WPRI. St. Laurent, son of Rhode Island racketeer Anthony "the Saint" St. Laurent, is on a monitored release as he awaits trial for helping to extort money from a Taunton, MA, bookmaker from 1988 to 2009. The younger St. Laurent was observed one week earlier as he had lunch with a reputed Providence mobster.

According to the magistrate's order, St. Laurent must avoid former New England crime boss Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio, reputed underboss Robert P. "Bobby" DeLuca, former boss Raymond J. "Junior" Patriarca, reputed capodecina Edward C. Lato, reputed mobster Alfred "Chippy" Scivola Jr., paroled mobster Frank L. "Bobo" Manapese and accused racketeer Edward F. "Buckles" Melise.

St. Laurent was arrested in early February along with his father, a longtime New England Mafioso, and his mother Dorothy. Federal prosecutors charged the three with extortion conspiracy.

Two charged with 2003 Springfield murder

Two men were charged in mid-February with the 2003 murder of Springfield, MA, Mafia bigshot Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno (right), according to a story by Stephanie Barry of the Springfield Republican. A 13-count federal indictment accused Anthony J. "Bingy" Arillotta and Arthur "Short Guy" Nigro of participation in the murder plot. The indictment also contained other charges and defendants.

Arillotta, 41, is a resident of Springfield. Nigro, 65, of the Bronx, NY, is currently in prison, serving a five-year sentence for extortion.

According to authorities, Bruno controlled the region for the Genovese Crime Family until he was gunned down on Nov. 23, 2003, as he left a card game in Springfield. Frankie A Roche admitted to performing the murder in exchange for $10,000 offered by Arillotta enforcer Fotios "Freddy" Geas. Geas has been charged with murder and is scheduled to go on trial in March. Arillotta reportedly moved against Bruno with the approval of Mafia higher-ups after he argued that Bruno was working as an informant.

- Text of indictment

Canada adds conditions to Renda release

As 70-year-old Montreal Mafioso Paolo Renda was paroled in mid-February, authorities added conditions to his release, according to a story by Paul Cherry of the Montreal Gazette. Renda, who was jailed in October 2008 for possession of the proceeds of crime, will be closely watched due to the recent murder of his nephew and godson Nicolo "Nick" Rizzuto.

An official report states, "Unfortunate events took place on Dec. 28, 2009, during which your godson was killed, and Correctional Service of Canada fears reprisals on the part of Italian organized crime. A tighter framework is recommended to assure public safety."

Renda is married to the sister of reputed Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto, 63. The murdered Nick Rizzuto was Vito Rizzuto's son. Nick was shot to death in Notre Dame de Grace on Dec. 28. The killing is unsolved.

House arrest follows mob Christmas party

Philadelphia racketeer Steven Mazzone, 46, was sentenced Feb. 18 to six months of electronically monitored house arrest after being found in violation of his probation, according to a story by George Anastasia of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mazzone, released from prison last year after serving most of a nine-year racketeering sentence, violated the terms of his probation by attending a South Philadelphia "Cosa Nostra" Christmas party on Dec. 17.

According to authorities, the annual party draws area Mafiosi, who each bring cash gifts for the regional crime boss. Philadelphia organized crime investigators followed reputed mob boss Joseph Ligambi and a reputed top lieutenant Anthony Staino to the event at a South Seventh Street restaurant. They noted the presence of Mazzone, Martin Angelina, Michael Lancelotti, Anthony Nicodemo, Gaetan Lucibello, Joseph Massimino and Joseph Licata.

Federal prosecutors asked that Mazzone be returned to prison for four months. Mazzone admitted to making a mistake and requested some form of house arrest.

Montreal Mafioso fined $209K

The 85-year-old reputed head of the Montreal Mafia was fined $209,200 in early February for not paying Canadian taxes on more than $5 million hidden in three Swiss bank accounts, according to a story by Stephane Tremblay in the Toronto Sun. Nicolo Rizzuto pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges. Rizzuto was arrested in a massive raid against alleged organized criminals in 2006. He was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing the proceeds of crime. He was released on parole in 2008. Rizzuto's 42-year-old grandson was murdered in Montreal in December 2009.

Read more about the Rizzuto Mafia:
The Sixth Family: The Collapse of the New York Mafia and the Rise of Vito Rizzuto

Gioeli suffers stroke in prison

Reputed Colombo Family bigshot Tommy "Shots" Gioeli, in custody awaiting trial on racketeering and murder charges, suffered a stroke in early February, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News. He was rushed from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to an unidentified hospital. Authorities noted that Gioeli, reportedly a diabetic, had made a number of junk food purchases from the detention center commissary.

Informants to testify on Dols murder

Federal prosecutors intend to use two new informants to bolster their racketeering murder cases against reputed Colombo Family leader Thomas "Tommy Shots" Gioeli and reputed consigliere Joel "Joe Waverly" Cacace, according to an article by Jerry Capeci in the Huffington Post. The informants are "Big Dino" Calabro and Frankie "Blue Eyes" Sparaco.

Gioeli and Cacace are charged with six murders including the 1997 killing of New York City Police Officer Ralph Dols. Calabro reportedly served as triggerman in the Dols murder. Sparaco, old friend of imprisoned acting boss Alphonse Persico, was arrested in 1993 and charged with killings linked to a civil war within the Colombo Family.

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.