Cleveland associate charged in murder for hire plot

[Wiseguy]

Thanks to strococs for originally posting this...



FBI: Highland Heights Mafia member helped facilitate murder-for-hire plot
By Eric Heisig, Northeast Ohio Media Group
May 19, 2015


CLEVELAND, Ohio – A Highland Heights man identified by the FBI as a Mafia associate is accused of trying to facilitate a murder-for-hire plot for a colleague.

A federal complaint filed on Monday and unsealed Tuesday charges James Martino, 65, with using interstate communications in the commission of murder-for-hire. The colleague wanted a "former" family member killed for sexually assaulting a child, according to the complaint, and Martino arranged an introduction in April 2013 with someone he thought was a hit man.

But the hit man was actually an FBI informant, who helped the FBI to foil the plot.

The colleague offered $40,000 to have the killing carried out in Las Vegas, the complaint states. Martino's colleague and the informant met again on May 2, 2013. The colleague gave the informant directions to the family member's house, photographs and $5,000 in cash.

The colleague, who is not named in the complaint, was arrested in June 2013, and started cooperating. The FBI then recorded conversations between Martino, the colleague and the informant about the plot, the complaint says.

On July 11, 2013, the colleague called Martino and said the informant "is draggin" and not carrying out the hit. The complaint states that Martino told the colleague that he would call the informant.

Martino then called the informant, who assured Martino that it will happen, according to the complaint.

At a hearing Monday, Magistrate Judge Kenneth McHargh released Martino on bond and placed him on electronic monitoring. The case is expected to be presented to a grand jury.

The complaint says Martino's colleague is cooperating with the hope of getting leniency for a separate criminal case. U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Mike Tobin would not identify the colleague.

The complaint also states that Martino is an associate of La Cosa Nostra and that he spoke of connections to other members in Pittsburgh.

Cleveland's Mafia family was seriously weakened by a series of prosecutions in the early 1980s for drug trafficking and the murder of rackets figure Daniel Greene.

Ralph DeFranco, Martino's attorney, declined to comment, saying he is still parsing the case.

http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/ ... l#comments

[Pogo The Clown]

What a brain surgeon. 99% of these "hitmen for hire" are either cops, feds or informants. I guess he has been watching too many movies to think he can actually hire a "hitman".


Pogo

[Rocco]

Rule # you don't pay someone you don't know to kill someone. Its more than likely an informant or undercover cop. Apparantly this guy doesn't read the news....lol

[cavita]

Geez. Let the arguments rage on whether there's a family left in Cleveland. "There must be because they refer to the guy as an associate of the family." "No, there's no structured family there, they're not even on the fed's list anymore." Blah, blah, blah.

[Five Felonies]

they had a guy over on gbb years ago named "cleveitalia" who claimed there was something like 10 or so core guys that would meet up every now and again. then again, he got suspended and came back under the radar as "cleveitalia2' so who the fuck knows!

[Dwalin2014]

The colleague wanted a "former" family member killed for sexually assaulting a child

In this case, I think the FBI should go after this "target" of the hit instead of going after the one who commissioned the hit. Those "conspirators" may only be blamed if their motive was based on mere suspicions, but if they know for sure the shitbag raped a child, I almost would have done the job myself.

[phatmatress]

The colleague wanted a "former" family member killed for sexually assaulting a child

In this case, I think the FBI should go after this "target" of the hit instead of going after the one who commissioned the hit. Those "conspirators" may only be blamed if their motive was based on mere suspicions, but if they know for sure the shitbag raped a child, I almost would have done the job myself.

couldnt agree more. I've done things in my life that I would never do now... But touching a kid or child porn, or abiding women are fucking no nos. after convicted the victim or the families victim should choose what unusual punishment they can think of for those sick fucks.


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[JCB1977]

Never heard of this guy, small potatoes and I think "mafia associate" is a stretch.