THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Where is the North Jersey crew mostly based out of and their AO?

Joey Electric is a somewhat recently straightened out member of that crew.

-Dante

Fresolone talked about factionalism developing in the crew during his cooperation so that may have been a factor.

I think there was certainly a political purpose in splitting the decina. The first account we have of it being split into two is from George Fresolone who recounts being made a captain the day after his making ceremony in 1990. Inducting Fresolone was a political priority for Piccolo and Martirano, who were grooming him for a leadership role in the family. After the ceremony, Piccolo hinted to Fresolone that he could have the underboss position after Martirano (then terminally ill) died. The next day, at a meeting with Martirano, Fresolone was made captain and told he was responsible for the members who were inducted with him (Centorino, Cifelli, Olivieri, Praino). So by that point the North Jersey faction looked like this:

[quote][b]1990[/b]

Underboss: Pasquale Martirano

Acting Captain: Joseph Licata
- Anthony Attanasio
- Joseph Bellina
- Anthony Capozzi
- Peter Caprio
- Dominick Dinorscio
- Gerardo Fusella
- Ralph Napoli
- Michael Ricciardi
- Joseph Sodano

Captain: George Fresolone
- Vincent Centorino
- Nicholas Cifelli
- Nicholas Olivieri
- John Praino[/quote]

It would appear after Martirano died and Fresolone flipped they chose to continue with the two crews for whatever reason, perhaps just because there were still quite a few living North Jersey members. That could explain why Stanfa chose to keep the two crews rather than condensing them down to one. However, attrition hit North Jersey significantly during the 1990s. Bellina died in 1992, Capozzi in 1993, Attanasio in 1994, and Cifelli in 1996. I've found no indication of any new members from North Jersey being inducted under Stanfa or Natale, so when Sodano was murdered in late 1996 it left only nine North Jersey members (compared to 16 when the crew was split in 1990).

Caprio's promotion to take Sodano's place as captain could also be read as a political appointment, partially as a reward for the successful completion of the murder. Caprio was also in a very important position for Natale and Merlino, because they used him as a liaison to the Genovese family, which had to approve all major decisions over the Philadelphia borgata. There is some indication though that Natale and Merlino may have wanted to condense North Jersey back to one decina. Caprio testified that they wanted to break Licata because he was giving business to the Lucchese family, but for whatever reason Caprio talked them out of it.

Because of the retention of the two North Jersey crews by the new administration, despite the attrition and lack of new blood, the crews were significantly smaller than they were in 1990. Caprio testified that he had 'a couple' of members reporting to him and named them as Centorino and Fusella. He also said he inherited Olivieri but, confusingly, described him as an associate (which is another matter). By process of elimination, one would assume the remaining North Jersey members were assigned to Licata, so by 1997 the faction looks like this:

[quote][b]1997[/b]

Captain: Joseph Licata
- Dominick Dinorscio
- Ralph Napoli (retired, per Caprio)
- John Praino
- Michael Ricciardi

Captain: Peter Caprio
- Vincent Centorino
- Gerardo Fusella (semi-retired, per Caprio)
- Nicholas Olivieri (button not recognised?)[/quote]

This also indicates that despite the two crews being carried over from 1990, they were mixed up and reassigned at some point. Licata being a constant since 1990 would indicate he retained control of the same crew, so it appears the only changes took place in the new crew that split/ was formed for Fresolone:

[quote][b]Second North Jersey crew leadership (1990-2000)[/b]

1990: George Fresolone (flipped)
Abt. 1990-1991: Ralph Napoli (promoted by either Scarfo or Stanfa; taken down by Stanfa for being senile)
Abt. 1991-1996: Joseph Sodano (promoted by Stanfa, per Caprio; murdered on orders of Natale and Merlino)
1997-2000: Peter Caprio (promoted by Natale; flipped 2000)[/quote]

The makeup of Caprio's crew also indicates that it was mixed up after Fresolone flipped. While Centorino and Olivieri were both under Fresolone, Fusella wasn't. Caprio also made no mention of Praino, which could indicate that he was transferred to Licata. It's confusing and it gets harder to justify retaining two North Jersey crews as the 1990s progresses. Attrition seems like the most likely reason for it being condensed back to one crew. Dinorscio died in 1999 and Caprio flipped in 2000, leaving North Jersey looking like this:

[quote][b]2000[/b]

Captain: Joseph Licata (in prison)

Acting Captain: Vincent Centorino

[u]Soldiers[/u]

Gerardo Fusella (semi-retired)
Ralph Napoli (retired)
Nicholas Olivieri (in prison)
John Praino
Michael Ricciardi[/quote]

By later in 2001, (after his indictment) Centorino is referred to as a former acting captain, perhaps indicating that this was around when the crew was condensed. Maybe it had already happened after Caprio flipped and Centorino was acting for Licata. Either way, attrition continued. Ricciardi died in 2001, Napoli in 2005, and Fusella in 2007. That same year, Louis Fazzini was inducted and assigned to Licata, becoming what appears to be the first new member of the decina since 1990.

[quote][b]2007[/b]

Captain: Joseph Licata
- Vincent Centorino
- Louis Fazzini
- Nicholas Olivieri
- John Praino[/quote]

If Caprio testified to that then it is what it is. Still odd to me as that crew had to have been less then 10 members when it was split. I wonder if political purposes played a part.

Thank you!

[quote="Angelo Santino" post_id=271556 time=1701959364 user_id=69]
Sodano is still confusing to me. As per Blood Oath, Sodano was a soldier in the Newark Crew under Licata. Then Anastasia's LG has him as Newark's Capo with Licata under him.

Do we have any other sources beyond Anastasia which confirms Sodano was a captain? We know, as per the book, that Caprio gets promoted for murdering him but this was going on right around the time Licata was going to jail. It seems more logical that Caprio succeeded Licata and that Sodano was simply a member of that decina. Is there anything I'm missing/not taking into account?
[/quote]

Caprio testified that Sodano was a captain and it was Stanfa who put him in that position. The North Jerseb decina had split into two crews in the 1990s, with Licata in charge of one and Sodano the other. Caprio was made captain after killing Sodano and he inherited his crew. Licata came home from prison after Sodano was killed and Caprio testified that Natale and Merlino wanted to break him (Licata) for giving business to the Lucchese family. However, Caprio talked them out of it and left him in his position.

This is the best succession I can come up with for when the North Jersey decina was split in two:

1990:
Joseph Licata/ George Fresolone

1990-1991:
Joseph Licata/ Ralph Napoli

1991-1996:
Joseph Licata/ Joseph Sodano

1997-2000:
Joseph Licata/ Peter Caprio

[quote=chin_gigante post_id=271512 time=1701899427 user_id=5708]
It's quite difficult to trace crew leadership in Philadelphia after the 1980s because the government effectively dismantled most of the family twice (the big Scarfo indictments and the Stanfa indictments) and it had to be rebuilt. One regime we can pretty effectively trace the leadership of is the one in North Jersey:

- 1978-1980: Antonio Caponigro (per George Fresolone the North Jersey members were first officially assigned to Caponigro when he was made consigliere)

- 1980-1981: following Caponigro's death the regime may have been led by Dominick Dinorscio as acting captain but I cannot find my source for that off the top of my head, might have been a Pennsylvania Crime Commission report

- 1981-1984: Ralph Napoli was made captain shortly after Scarfo became the boss per the NJSCI Organized Crime in Bars II report which was based largely off information from Leonetti

- 1984-1990: Pasquale Martirano replaced Napoli when he was broken and this was announced at Nick Caramandi, Charlie Iannece, and Joey Grande's induction ceremony per the same NJSCI report

- 1988: this was when Joseph Licata was installed as acting captain by Martirano when he was on the lam, per Fresolone, it's unclear when he was made official captain

- 1990: Martirano is made underboss or acting underboss of the family per Fresolone, Fresolone is inducted along with four other members of the crew, the following day the North Jersey crew is split in two with Fresolone the captain in charge of the newly inducted members

- 1990-1991: from context we have a rough idea of what happened after Martirano died and Fresolone entered witness protection, in 1991 Licata and Joseph Sodano went to Philadelphia to complain to Stanfa that Ralph Napoli was senile and should be taken down, so it appears either Scarfo/ Anthony Piccolo or Stanfa had briefly made Napoli a captain over one of the North Jersey crews again; it appears Stanfa replaced him with Sodano; this period may have also been when Licata was made official

- 1991-1996: Licata and Sodano are the two North Jersey captains though both spend time in prison during this period

- 1997-2000: Natale and Merlino have Sodano killed for not coming in when called for in 1996, and Natale replaces him as captain with Peter Caprio; Caprio testified that Natale and Merlino wanted to break Licata around this time because he had given business to the Lucchese family but he talked them out of it, confirming there were still two official North Jersey captains; Licata soon went back to prison anyway

- 2000: Caprio plans to stage a coup and take over the family but is arrested and flips before he can do so

- 2001: Vincent Centorino is indicted as an acting captain; Caprio testified that Centorino was a member of his regime, so he presumably replaced Caprio when he flipped; a department of labour report from later that year described Centorino as a 'former' acting captain, so he may not have had the position long

- 2003-present: all indications are that after Caprio flipped the North Jersey crews merged back into one; Licata got out of prison in 2003 and resumed his position which he may hold to this day; this would make Licata by far the longest-serving current leader in the family as he has been in his position as an acting/ official captain since 1988 and retained it through three periods of incarceration
[/quote]

Sodano is still confusing to me. As per Blood Oath, Sodano was a soldier in the Newark Crew under Licata. Then Anastasia's LG has him as Newark's Capo with Licata under him.

Do we have any other sources beyond Anastasia which confirms Sodano was a captain? We know, as per the book, that Caprio gets promoted for murdering him but this was going on right around the time Licata was going to jail. It seems more logical that Caprio succeeded Licata and that Sodano was simply a member of that decina. Is there anything I'm missing/not taking into account?

Big Lou is more of the day to day guy running that crew these days.

Scoops is well into his 80s , is already a multi millionaire, owns a ton of property, and has the crew running smoothly and quietly. Scoops is still the official Capo with final say but Big Lou is the day to day guy with that crew.

-Dante

how has scoops been captain for so long. do these guys earn? who else is there aside from fazzini. blackie wasnt the best but had pattyy specs and Sodano.

It's quite difficult to trace crew leadership in Philadelphia after the 1980s because the government effectively dismantled most of the family twice (the big Scarfo indictments and the Stanfa indictments) and it had to be rebuilt. One regime we can pretty effectively trace the leadership of is the one in North Jersey:

- 1978-1980: Antonio Caponigro (per George Fresolone the North Jersey members were first officially assigned to Caponigro when he was made consigliere)

- 1980-1981: following Caponigro's death the regime may have been led by Dominick Dinorscio as acting captain but I cannot find my source for that off the top of my head, might have been a Pennsylvania Crime Commission report

- 1981-1984: Ralph Napoli was made captain shortly after Scarfo became the boss per the NJSCI Organized Crime in Bars II report which was based largely off information from Leonetti

- 1984-1990: Pasquale Martirano replaced Napoli when he was broken and this was announced at Nick Caramandi, Charlie Iannece, and Joey Grande's induction ceremony per the same NJSCI report

- 1988: this was when Joseph Licata was installed as acting captain by Martirano when he was on the lam, per Fresolone, it's unclear when he was made official captain

- 1990: Martirano is made underboss or acting underboss of the family per Fresolone, Fresolone is inducted along with four other members of the crew, the following day the North Jersey crew is split in two with Fresolone the captain in charge of the newly inducted members

- 1990-1991: from context we have a rough idea of what happened after Martirano died and Fresolone entered witness protection, in 1991 Licata and Joseph Sodano went to Philadelphia to complain to Stanfa that Ralph Napoli was senile and should be taken down, so it appears either Scarfo/ Anthony Piccolo or Stanfa had briefly made Napoli a captain over one of the North Jersey crews again; it appears Stanfa replaced him with Sodano; this period may have also been when Licata was made official

- 1991-1996: Licata and Sodano are the two North Jersey captains though both spend time in prison during this period

- 1997-2000: Natale and Merlino have Sodano killed for not coming in when called for in 1996, and Natale replaces him as captain with Peter Caprio; Caprio testified that Natale and Merlino wanted to break Licata around this time because he had given business to the Lucchese family but he talked them out of it, confirming there were still two official North Jersey captains; Licata soon went back to prison anyway

- 2000: Caprio plans to stage a coup and take over the family but is arrested and flips before he can do so

- 2001: Vincent Centorino is indicted as an acting captain; Caprio testified that Centorino was a member of his regime, so he presumably replaced Caprio when he flipped; a department of labour report from later that year described Centorino as a 'former' acting captain, so he may not have had the position long

- 2003-present: all indications are that after Caprio flipped the North Jersey crews merged back into one; Licata got out of prison in 2003 and resumed his position which he may hold to this day; this would make Licata by far the longest-serving current leader in the family as he has been in his position as an acting/ official captain since 1988 and retained it through three periods of incarceration

https://theblackhand.club/forum/viewtopic.php?p=86515&hilit=Succession+philly+testa#p86515

Kinda like the 5 families Crew Succession post like Pogo the Clown did