Gang Land News 24 December 2020

[chin_gigante]

Luchese Turncoat Wiseguy John Pennisi Gets A Free Pass For Flipping

Turncoat mobster John Pennisi has been rewarded with a no-jail sentence for his devastating cooperation with federal authorities against his former friends in the Luchese and Genovese crime families, Gang Land has learned.

Pennisi's trial testimony helped prosecutors win murder and racketeering convictions of six longtime gangsters. He also has provided federal prosecutors with information they plan to use to prosecute top Luchese family wiseguys in the coming months, according to Gang Land sources.

Pennisi won the get-out-of-jail-free card despite having angered the feds in October when he began a blog in which he spilled even more secrets about his ex-pals. But the blog was apparently a petty annoyance compared to the informant's performance inside and outside the courtroom.

According to court filings that were ordered unsealed this month by Manhattan Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein, prosecutors praised his testimony at three trials and the "extremely valuable" and "current information" Pennisi provided when he flipped in 2018.

During the November 12 proceeding, Hellerstein told the 51-year-old mob defector he was going to depart from his usual custom "to give a sentence of time where there are criminal acts even in light of later cooperation." Instead, the judge said he would give him "time-served" because "to put you in jail would be to create inordinate risks on your life." The judge also gave Pennisi five years of supervised release.

In pushing hard for leniency, prosecutor Hagan Scotten said Pennisi was a "remarkable" witness, one who, unlike many cooperators, did not "attempt to minimize some aspect of conduct that they feel puts them in a worse light." Pennisi, Scotten said, was "always forthright about all of the facts that he thought of, including anything that was bad for him."

Pennisi was the only turncoat Luchese mobster to testify against Matthew (Matty) Madonna, the former acting boss who presided over his 2013 induction. Madonna and three others, underboss Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea, soldier Christopher Londonio and gangster Terrence Caldwell, are all serving life sentences for the 2013 murder of former Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish.

Pennisi testified that in October of 2018 he walked into FBI headquarters in Downtown Manhattan and stated he wanted to cooperate because the Luchese crime family had mistakenly labelled him a "rat" and he feared the mob was planning to kill him.

An Ozone Park native who cut his gangster teeth in the 1980s under then-budding Gambino mobster John A. (Junior) Gotti, Pennisi also testified at the trials of Luchese mobster Eugene (Boobsie) Castelle, who was sentenced to 77 months, and Genovese wiseguy Frank (Frankie G) Giovinco, who got four years. Both were both found guilty of racketeering and other charges.

Sources say the FBI and Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office are putting together a racketeering indictment against the Luchese crime family's acting boss Michael (Big Mike) DeSantis and underboss Patrick (Patty Red) Dellorusso. The duo were publicly identified last year as family's current leaders.

In their court filing, prosecutors Scotten, Jason Swergold and Jacob Fiddelman also credited Pennisi with the conviction of Crea's mobster son, capo Steven (Stevie Junior) Crea, who pleaded guilty to racketeering charges rather than go to trial for the Meldish murder. The younger Crea's attorneys watched Pennisi testify against Boobsie Castelle, the prosecutors wrote, and they knew that "Pennisi would be a devastating witness against their client."

The prosecutors wrote that his testimony against Giovinco — a longtime close pal of Vincent Esposito, the son of the late mob boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante — was also "extremely valuable." Pennisi was the only "made man" the government had who could link the mob to Esposito's labor racketeering scheme, the prosecutors wrote, since Pennisi had been "formally introduced" to Esposito's mobster co-conspirators, Genovese wiseguys Frankie G and Steven (Mad Dog) Arena.

Speaking on his own behalf, Pennisi told Hellerstein that after living by a "street code for 49 years of my life" he had decided to become a cooperating witness. Since then, he said, "I have held nothing back, and I have spoken about crimes that I knew that the government was unaware of that I participated in."

He stated that in deciding to cooperate, he had rejected the advice of friends and family members who warned him against telling the feds information about crimes he had committed. He was determined to "come clean" as part of his "atonement," he said. "If I was going to change my life, I wanted to do it 100 percent and nothing less."

"Since walking into that federal building in 2018 to the present day," he said. "I have had no contact with law enforcement in a way of committing any crimes, and I have kept my nose clean," adding that he intends to prove, not by words, but his actions to his "family and everybody else that I can be a law-abiding citizen."

Judge Hellerstein had a somewhat different take on Pennisi's decision to cooperate. He noted that a prime motivation had been not to become an upstanding citizen but to protect himself from the mob. Hellerstein asked Scotten if he thought "there would be a lessened respect for law" if the judge were to mete out a non-custodial sentence.

The prosecutor, while agreeing that there was no dispute that Pennisi "sought out the FBI" because "he thought the Luchese family was trying to kill him," stated that justice would be served by a no-jail sentence.

Pennisi "chose to come in and give us this information" about himself as well as the mob when he could have just run away, said Scotten, noting that "he wasn't in a situation where he had no recourse."

"He was not charged" with any crimes at the time, the prosecutor continued. "He was not approached. And in fact the government did not really have any evidence against him. He would have gotten away with it had he not come to see us, and frankly, everybody is better off that he chose to come in and give us this information."

Some former friends, whom Pennisi fingered in court, and whom he writes about in his blog, as well as others who might yet be indicted, would probably — make that definitely — disagree.

Editor's Note: It makes no difference whether you celebrate Christmas, or believe in Santa Claus: Gang Land wishes you and everyone close to you a Merry Christmas.

A Lover's Christmas Carol-Style Plea for Her Jailed Sweetheart

Mob associate John (Wizzie) Delutro is doing a long bid. But ten weeks ago, a 41-year-old New York woman whom he's known for 25 years did her best to shorten it by pouring her heart out to a federal judge. She begged Brooklyn Federal Judge Carol Amon to release Delutro, 43, so they can marry and raise a family before time runs out.

No, this is not a Merry Christmas Eve story. But it could be a Happy New Year's story if the feds don't play Scrooge to Laura Cutillo's heartfelt pleas.

In the letter she wrote on October 14, Cutillo said that Delutro "supports me from inside four walls better than people standing in front of me." She also declared that since John went away on October 14, 2009, "he has utilized his time to become the best version of himself that he can be. I see it in every conversation, email and letter we share."

Delutro is serving 20 years for a robbery conspiracy conviction. He's currently held at the federal prison in Danbury where the deadly coronavirus bug has killed one inmate, and where 95 COVID-positive prisoners are housed. Another 81 inmates are classified as "recovered" according to the Bureau of Prisons.

"Getting him home before Christmas would be perfect," Cutillo said in a brief chat when Gang Land reached out to her after spotting her letter last week.

"We haven't had a visit in almost a year now because of COVID," she said, before hurriedly ending the conversation out of fear that she might say something that could hurt the compassionate release motion that Delutro's attorney finally filed with Judge Amon two weeks ago.

In her letter, Cutillo hit all the high notes. "We have definitely faced many adversities and hard times" over the years, she wrote, "but our love for each other has carried us" since "we reconnected romantically and realized we were always destined to be together."

"I want to start a family with John and I've never been surer about anything in my life," she said. "My life is incomplete without him, and he is my forever."

For a long time, Cutillo said she had given up "the idea of having children" because of her age. "I know now that I still have a chance at having a family if we don't wait too long," she wrote, noting that she has worked in the "medical field" for 15 years.

In his filing, lawyer Anthony DiPietro argues that Delutro's 20 year term was well above the 33-to-41-month guidelines for a robbery conspiracy. He has already served about four years more than the median sentence of 92 months for an actual robbery. Those and other considerations, said DiPietro, are among the "many extraordinary and compelling" reasons why Wizzie deserves a compassionate release from prison.

The lawyer wrote that Judge Amon should consider that it was Delutro's first conviction, that he pleaded guilty soon after his arrest, and that he had a "lesser role" in the case than five other gangsters in the plot. He suggested that she might also consider that Delutro received a prison term that was much longer than any other defendant convicted only of the robbery conspiracy, and that BOP records show that his client has been a "model inmate" behind bars.

Delutro's two-decade sentence resulted from conspiring to rob a jeweler who was killed in a 2008 robbery. Wizzie, however, had nothing to do with the actual heist, according to key prosecution witness Salvatore (Sally Fish) Maniscalco. At the trial of Genovese wiseguy Anthony (Tico) Antico, the alleged architect of the robbery plot, Maniscalco testified that "he and Delutro decided to call off the robbery before it occurred," and "that they had left the scene and went home," DiPietro wrote.

During his 11-plus years in prison, the lawyer wrote, Delutro has worked hard to better himself. He "completed many BOP rehabilitative programs," maintained "a job as a recreation orderly," and earned an Associate Degree in Business with Magna Cum Laude honors from Glenville State College in 2015.

Other compelling and extraordinary reasons "to reduce his sentence at this time," DiPietro wrote, are the fact that "many of his closest loved ones," including his dad, his step-father and a "cousin who was more like a sister" died while Delutro was in prison. "Those factors could also not have been anticipated by the Court when it fashioned the original punishment," the attorney wrote.

A compassionate release will also allow Delutro, who isn't slated to get out of prison until November, 2026, to help care for his mother and his step-mother, the lawyer added. His mom underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mass earlier this year, and his step mom, "has recently fallen ill to cancer."

All of the above reasons, combined with the fact that Delutro has served a stressful year behind bars "during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic" and that he faces an increasing possibility of acquiring the killer virus behind bars are "extraordinary and compelling reasons" why his client deserves a compassionate release from prison, wrote DiPietro.

Amon ordered the government to respond to DiPietro's motion by January 11.

Cutillo's letter echoed Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol pleas.

"John has served his time and he deserves a chance at normalcy, a chance to make up for lost dreams," wrote Cutillo. "I have so many things to be grateful for but the one thing I am missing is my ability to start my life with my soul mate. He truly is a blessing to me and I pray that he can come home and we have a chance to be happy and create a life together."

Not-So-Wiseguy Cops To Assaulting Hubby Of Reality TV Star Dina Manzo

Even in Tinseltown, the script writers would've had a hard time making this one up: Luchese mobster John Perna has pleaded guilty to assaulting the sweetheart of Dina Manzo, the former star of the sensationally successful TV reality show, Real Housewives Of New Jersey. What made him do it? It's simple, say prosecutors: In return for the beating, Manzo's former hubby gave Perna a "deeply discounted" price for his wedding celebration, a gala event attended by scores of mobsters, including a former old pal, turncoat wiseguy John Pennisi.

Perna, 43, pleaded guilty last week to attacking David Cantin, who was Manzo's then boyfriend, on July 18, 2015. That was a month before Dina's ex-husband, Thomas Manzo, allegedly returned the favor and paid off in a big way: By hosting a lavish wedding party of about 330 guests for Perna at The Brownstone, an upscale Peterson NJ banquet hall that Manzo owns.

According to a plea agreement that defense attorney Stacy Biancamano worked out with New Jersey federal prosecutors Kendall Randolph and Grady O'Malley, Perna faces a recommended prison term between 28 and 30 months, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

In an interview, Pennisi told Gang Land that he arrived at The Brownstone with his date at the same time as Luchese leaders Matty Madonna and Stevie Wonder Crea. During what he called a "spectacular" cocktail hour, he said he was told by Perna's mobster brother Joseph that Manzo had footed the bill for the shindig.

"I said, 'Joe. This is an unbelievable spread. How much did this run?'" Pennisi recalled. "I couldn't believe it when he told me it was a freebie that John got from Tommy Manzo for beating up Dina Manzo's new boyfriend."

Pennisi said he knew the Pernas from Luchese crime family dealings. He said that at different times before the wedding, the Perna brothers, and their wiseguy father Ralph, were transferred from the Lucheses' Jersey Crew to the crime family's Brooklyn Crew, where Pennisi was a member.

By time Gang Land discussed John Perna's guilty plea with Pennisi, the blogger, who started slowly in October but seems to have jumped in with both feet since he was sentenced to time served in November, had already posted his discussion with Joe Perna on his blog.

"Tommy told Johnny he wanted his ex-wife's new boyfriend to get a beating so Johnny took a couple of Jersey kids that are with him and they went and cracked the guy," is how Pennisi recalled the discussion for Gang Land.

"Imagine what kind of money this prick will make with all the envelopes tonight. Cost him not a fucking dime!" Joe Perna cracked about his brother, Pennisi wrote on sitdownnews.com.

The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, which ripped Pennisi back in October when he created his Sitdown News blog, have apparently decided to ignore the ex-gangster's decision to join ex-Gambino gangsters John Alite and Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano in the social media world.

"No one has said anything," Pennisi said when Gang Land raised the subject. "I don't bring it up, and no one has said anything to me about it. No one said, 'Don't do that,' or told me to stop," he said.

"Initially, they were not happy," he said, declining to give any details, when Gang Land pressed. "But afterword, no one said a word to me about it. I'm pretty sure they don't like it. I don't know, maybe they respect the First Amendment. I don't know. And it's not like I'm going on a podcast with ex-cons like John Rubeo did," he cracked.

[gmadotty313]

thanx for posting

[JohnnyS]

Thanks for posting.

Interesting he calls Antico a wiseguy and not capo. Capeci being loose with ranks again?

[slimshady_007]

Thanks for posting. I cant help but wonder if the Lucchese’s were really planning on clipping Pennisi.

[TallGuy19]

It didn't take long for them to zero in on DeSantis and Dellorusso. I don't know why anybody would want the job of acting boss or even underboss this day and age.

[johnny_scootch]

Thanks for posting.

Interesting he calls Antico a wiseguy and not capo. Capeci being loose with ranks again?

I don't think calling him a wiseguy could be considered 'loose with the ranks'. Who knows maybe Barney took him down when he caught that 10 year bid back in 2010.

[TallGuy19]

Thanks for posting. I cant help but wonder if the Lucchese’s were really planning on clipping Pennisi.

Even if they were (which I doubt), it's unlikely they would have pulled it off. We've seen a number of cases in recent years where a murder is planned, only to be called off or the conspirators arrested before it's actually carried out.

[Hired_Goonz]

I seriously doubt that they were gonna clip Pennisi. He claims that they were sitting outside his house because they thought he was a rat, but now they know he's a rat and he says they either say hi or just pretend they don't see him when he runs into them at the mall. And it can't be chalked up to the usual answer of why they don't go after a rat that's living openly, that he already testified against the family and can't hurt them anymore so it would make no sense to hit him; he's clearly gonna be a big part of this case they're building against DeSantis and Dellorusso. So you have a guy that testified against the previous street bosses and will definitely be testifying against the current street bosses in the coming years, who is openly making Youtube videos talking about your crime family. But they were gonna murder him over his captain's vague suspicion that he was snitching? I don't buy it.

I don't know what his angle was for cooperating seeing as how he wasn't facing charges at the time. But whatever his reasons I enjoy his interviews, he has a lot of great info and is a refreshing personality when compared to guys like Alite or Franzese.

[Tonyd621]

I seriously doubt that they were gonna clip Pennisi. He claims that they were sitting outside his house because they thought he was a rat, but now they know he's a rat and he says they either say hi or just pretend they don't see him when he runs into them at the mall. And it can't be chalked up to the usual answer of why they don't go after a rat that's living openly, that he already testified against the family and can't hurt them anymore so it would make no sense to hit him; he's clearly gonna be a big part of this case they're building against DeSantis and Dellorusso. So you have a guy that testified against the previous street bosses and will definitely be testifying against the current street bosses in the coming years, who is openly making Youtube videos talking about your crime family. But they were gonna murder him over his captain's vague suspicion that he was snitching? I don't buy it.

I don't know what his angle was for cooperating seeing as how he wasn't facing charges at the time. But whatever his reasons I enjoy his interviews, he has a lot of great info and is a refreshing personality when compared to guys like Alite or Franzese.

Everyone preaches moral high ground when they rat...its how they justify the selfless. Pennisi has been a selfish, jealous rat since he was born... he killed someone over pussy... I mean there is a perfect example

[Wiseguy]

Pennisi said he knew the Pernas from Luchese crime family dealings. He said that at different times before the wedding, the Perna brothers, and their wiseguy father Ralph, were transferred from the Lucheses' Jersey Crew to the crime family's Brooklyn Crew, where Pennisi was a member

So Ralph, Little Joe, and John Perna all were transferred? That would only leave the Taccettas and a few other guys in the Jersey crew.

[chin_gigante]

Pennisi said he knew the Pernas from Luchese crime family dealings. He said that at different times before the wedding, the Perna brothers, and their wiseguy father Ralph, were transferred from the Lucheses' Jersey Crew to the crime family's Brooklyn Crew, where Pennisi was a member

So Ralph, Little Joe, and John Perna all were transferred? That would only leave the Taccettas and a few other guys in the Jersey crew.

He expanded on this in one of the new podcasts he's done. There was trouble within the Jersey crew so they transferred Ralph and Johnny to the Castelucci crew as a 'punishment'. By that point Ralph had been taken down and Richard DeLuca was the captain. Joseph Perna (the other one, not Ralph's son) was acting captain underneath DeLuca. Once Ralph and Johnny's 'penance' was over they got switched back. But then Joey Perna (Ralph's son) was sent to the Staten Island crew to keep the Pernas split up.

[Shellackhead]

I seriously doubt that they were gonna clip Pennisi. He claims that they were sitting outside his house because they thought he was a rat, but now they know he's a rat and he says they either say hi or just pretend they don't see him when he runs into them at the mall. And it can't be chalked up to the usual answer of why they don't go after a rat that's living openly, that he already testified against the family and can't hurt them anymore so it would make no sense to hit him; he's clearly gonna be a big part of this case they're building against DeSantis and Dellorusso. So you have a guy that testified against the previous street bosses and will definitely be testifying against the current street bosses in the coming years, who is openly making Youtube videos talking about your crime family. But they were gonna murder him over his captain's vague suspicion that he was snitching? I don't buy it.

I don't know what his angle was for cooperating seeing as how he wasn't facing charges at the time. But whatever his reasons I enjoy his interviews, he has a lot of great info and is a refreshing personality when compared to guys like Alite or Franzese.

Everyone preaches moral high ground when they rat...its how they justify the selfless. Pennisi has been a selfish, jealous rat since he was born... he killed someone over pussy... I mean there is a perfect example

I think the reason why he shot the guy it was a name thing. Now those days in that neighborhood especially, everyone wanted to make a name for themselves, and John basically took the opportunity to tell the neighborhood and the other young guys not to fuck with him, that he’s capable.

[Wiseguy]

Pennisi said he knew the Pernas from Luchese crime family dealings. He said that at different times before the wedding, the Perna brothers, and their wiseguy father Ralph, were transferred from the Lucheses' Jersey Crew to the crime family's Brooklyn Crew, where Pennisi was a member

So Ralph, Little Joe, and John Perna all were transferred? That would only leave the Taccettas and a few other guys in the Jersey crew.

He expanded on this in one of the new podcasts he's done. There was trouble within the Jersey crew so they transferred Ralph and Johnny to the Castelucci crew as a 'punishment'. By that point Ralph had been taken down and Richard DeLuca was the captain. Joseph Perna (the other one, not Ralph's son) was acting captain underneath DeLuca. Once Ralph and Johnny's 'penance' was over they got switched back. But then Joey Perna (Ralph's son) was sent to the Staten Island crew to keep the Pernas split up.

I've listened to most of the podcasts but must have missed that part. I thought it was only Little Joe. Thanks for clearing that up.