John Pennisi Sighting / Sit Down News

[TommyNoto]

I enjoy hootie and he’s the only guy I can listen to. You can tell he’s 1000 percent street and it comes out in his energy as he speaks about it. I would never condone cooperating but at least this guy is authentic in his stories and how he articulates himself. Hearing him actually had me wishing he didn’t flip. But if you’ve been in the street at any level.... we all know a guy that you loved and couldn’t believe flipped. Who did he tell on ?

If I remember right he didn’t tell on anyone, he just refused to take a global plea in the big Gambino 2011 case and had a falling out with Al Trucchio. Obviously now he’s out there in the open telling on people to a degree

I’m not sure the specifics here but theirs a trick where when you know everyone is gonna plea, your lawyer says you agree to cooperate but you never intend too . The plea guys get the same deal, you never give info but your lawyer can argue you were willing to help and you get much less time.

[dack2001]

I don't know if its a trick....sentencing guidelines are very important in the fed system, most important thing. Anytime you plead guilty or "accept responsibility" you get a deduction from your guideline sentence. Anytime you agree to help give information on your case you get a deduction from your guideline. Those won't get you out of serving time usually, just reduce yout time. There is also a credit based upon cooperation where you are responsible for making a separate case or cases based upon the new information you give. That one is most important because it basically allows prosecutors to toss the guidelines out the window for you. That is for out and out cooperators, wearing wires or testifying against others.

The only trick I can think of would be for a guy to give info to get the small sentencing deduction for cooperation (which for a guy facing 2-3 years won't seem that small) but feed information the Feds already know from other defendants or he thinks won't hurt anyone etc. That would be more like dry snitching, thinking you can give the feds a little of nothing and no one will find out. That happens in the fed system, I think more than most might believe, which is why those pre-sentence reports and recommendations can be interesting reading and a hot commodity for some out in the street....

[Amershire_Ed]

I enjoy hootie and he’s the only guy I can listen to. You can tell he’s 1000 percent street and it comes out in his energy as he speaks about it. I would never condone cooperating but at least this guy is authentic in his stories and how he articulates himself. Hearing him actually had me wishing he didn’t flip. But if you’ve been in the street at any level.... we all know a guy that you loved and couldn’t believe flipped. Who did he tell on ?

If I remember right he didn’t tell on anyone, he just refused to take a global plea in the big Gambino 2011 case and had a falling out with Al Trucchio. Obviously now he’s out there in the open telling on people to a degree

He sat with the Feds and was Queen for a Day. Basically the same thing Jr Gotti did. I don’t think he ever gave info, testified.

[Amershire_Ed]

I enjoy hootie and he’s the only guy I can listen to. You can tell he’s 1000 percent street and it comes out in his energy as he speaks about it. I would never condone cooperating but at least this guy is authentic in his stories and how he articulates himself. Hearing him actually had me wishing he didn’t flip. But if you’ve been in the street at any level.... we all know a guy that you loved and couldn’t believe flipped. Who did he tell on ?

Yeah I actually felt for him when he was talking about coming home after leaving the life. You can tell the streets were like his entire identity. And not in a corny Peter Tuccio way where he just wants to belong. It was actually his life. Living that way your whole life and then starting over in your 40s can’t be easy. He said Gene was the one who basically pulled him from his depression.

[CabriniGreen]

I enjoy hootie and he’s the only guy I can listen to. You can tell he’s 1000 percent street and it comes out in his energy as he speaks about it. I would never condone cooperating but at least this guy is authentic in his stories and how he articulates himself. Hearing him actually had me wishing he didn’t flip. But if you’ve been in the street at any level.... we all know a guy that you loved and couldn’t believe flipped. Who did he tell on ?

I watched this because you spoke on it. I like the guy too. I liked him when he told a story of one of the Roccafortes in Rikers throwing up the Roc diamond, lol...

He was very detailed, the best one of these I've seen. And Tom finally asked good questions, in fact, a lot of the same questions I woulda asked.

I thought it very telling he feels like if he stayed a drug dealer, he woulda been rich and eventually free, as opposed to getting in with the wiseguys and literally running INTO police for NO fuckin money.......

I posted recently on the Gambinos wanting to work with Sicilians in Agrigento. I said if the sicilians are smart, they dont offend the Americans, but make an excuse to not get involved. The Americans, the Palermo people are way too hot right now....... they will get their whole agricultural business dismantled or siezed.....

[BobbyPazzo]

I enjoy hootie and he’s the only guy I can listen to. You can tell he’s 1000 percent street and it comes out in his energy as he speaks about it. I would never condone cooperating but at least this guy is authentic in his stories and how he articulates himself. Hearing him actually had me wishing he didn’t flip. But if you’ve been in the street at any level.... we all know a guy that you loved and couldn’t believe flipped. Who did he tell on ?

I watched this because you spoke on it. I like the guy too. I liked him when he told a story of one of the Roccafortes in Rikers throwing up the Roc diamond, lol...

He was very detailed, the best one of these I've seen. And Tom finally asked good questions, in fact, a lot of the same questions I woulda asked.

I thought it very telling he feels like if he stayed a drug dealer, he woulda been rich and eventually free, as opposed to getting in with the wiseguys and literally running INTO police for NO fuckin money.......

I posted recently on the Gambinos wanting to work with Sicilians in Agrigento. I said if the sicilians are smart, they dont offend the Americans, but make an excuse to not get involved. The Americans, the Palermo people are way too hot right now....... they will get their whole agricultural business dismantled or siezed.....

My brother. Always good to hear from you. I agree on most of what you said as usual. I can speak from what it’s like out here in north jersey right now, nobody wants to go near anyone right now. You can make money quietly and on your own. Why deal with guys who literally have eyes on them 24/7?

[johnny_scootch]

LOUIE’S GAMBINO RESENTMENT

BY JOHN PENNISI


Louie Lazzinnaro Part 1

As previously covered by Sitdownnews https://sitdownnews.com/gambino-crime-family-drama/ Gambino associate Louis “Louie” Lazzinnaro, was a recipient to a retaliatory baseball bat beating administered by Carmine “Bull” Agnello. The Gambino caporegime was not finished punishing Louie who he believed was courting his now ex-wife, Victoria Gotti.

On the house

To emphasize, Sergio Lazzinnaro a cousin of Louie’s and former business partner, explained to this author what took place thereafter.

“After they broke Louie’s arm, Carmine and a bunch of guys came into the restaurant…” – The place in question is Spolini’s located in Kew Gardens, Queens. Sergio & Louie were partners in the restaurant – “…They sat down for dinner and ordered. I knew right away it was going to be a problem. John, they ordered appetizers, every guy ordered three orders. It was the same with dinner and the drinks. They were running outside to throw-up so they could come back in to eat and drink more. When the waiter went over with the check these pieces of shit all walked out.”

Agnello made it a point to show further disrespect by the thuggish behavior in Spolini’s. Surprisingly, and this author cannot comprehend why Peter “Pete” Gotti who was acting boss let this take place. Louie, an associate of his imprisoned nephew John Jr was guilty only of being loyal. One can bet had his brother John Gotti been on the street, Carmine would have acted like an altar boy and paid his tab in Spline’s.

The early years

Louie’s relationship with the Gambino family dates back to the 80’s where he befriended an old time Gambino wiseguy, Anthony “Tony Pep” Trentacosta. Initially, a connection formed with a request for help regarding a business problem. Louie’s father, Mario owned a restaurant, Bravo Sergio in Manhattan. The same restaurant mentioned in a prior Sitdownnews post-https://sitdownnews.com/genovese-crime-family/. Nevertheless, Louie had trouble with a mob-controlled company, Arrow Linen Supply.

Tony Pep instructed Louie to tell whoever was giving him a problem at Arrow that they should speak to [his friend] Tony Pep. Specifically implying that Louie is [with] him.

Shit rolls uphill

In Life, as the saying goes, “Shit rolls downhill”- conversely, in the mob “shit” has the tendency to roll uphill. The Arrow problem reached the ears of Gambino boss, John Gotti who asked Tony Pep, “Who the fuck told this kid Louie he is with you?” As seasoned wiseguy, Tony Pep answered that maybe Louie assumed he was [with him] as he frequented his social club. John Gotti wanted to ask Louie himself and told Tony Pep to [send for him].

Tony Pep relayed the message to a nervous Louie, telling him he had to report to the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club on 101st Avenue in Ozone Park, Queens the next day. As an illustration of Tony Pep’s knowledge of [the life], he had Louie meet him at the Esquire diner in Ozone Park, Queens beforehand. Louie explained to this author what took place.

Tony Pep adamantly expressed to Louie that under no circumstance was he to say what he previously told him to tell the Arrow people. Louie gave him the assurance he would not. Subsequently, John Gotti did ask Louie what made him think he was [with] Tony Pep? Louie listening to Tony Pep’s instructions took the weight admitting it was he who assumed this. That day, John Gotti let Louie know he was now [with] his son, John Jr.

Tony Pep piped

*On a side note -Years ago, before I was born and before the events of this story took place Tony Pep had an incident with Louie and this author’s grandfather, Benny. It was over a family matter between our uncle who had been married to Tony Pep’s niece. They, Tony Pep, one of his guys, and the women in his family came to my grandfather’s house in East New York, Brooklyn.

What was supposed to be a peaceful talk of resolution turned into a full-blown brawl. One of the women with Tony Pep grabbed our pregnant aunt, Kathy by the hair and everyone started fighting. Tony Pep and his guy double-teamed our grandfather backing him into a corner. However, our grandmother was able to sneak behind him and hand him a tire iron. He proceeded to hit his attackers several times breaking the arm of Tony Pep’s associate and Tony Pep’s head in the process.

City-line vs Ozone Park

In Ozone Park there was always a rivalry between crews, the guys who stayed on 101st Avenue and the City-line crew. In contrast, there was the John Gotti crew on one end of the neighborhood and the Jo-Jo Corozzo crew on the other end.

Joseph “Jo-Jo” Corozzo, a Caporegime with the Gambino family had his social club in City-line. A section of New York which divided two boroughs, Brooklyn and Queens. The Ozone Park neighborhood in those days was replete with social clubs. Some of these clubs could be found within blocks of one another. Although the Gambino family had a prominent presence in Ozone Park, the remaining four families flew their flags as well. It should be noted, the neighborhood was one large farm team for Cosa Nostra…To be continued

[johnny_scootch]

City line was the last bastion for Italians in East New York, Pitkin Ave was the main strip.

[Dave65827]

Damn this is some borderline petty Shit lol. I like how his cousin asked him to take it down only for him to post his email all over his Instagram

[newera_212]

Pennisi always mentioned his family (blood family) having a restaurant in Queens. Is he talking about Spolini’s? I always wondered which place he meant, because he talks about it still being open during the time he was a made guy with the Luccheses.

The Pennisi & Hootie episode was great only because they both came from that same lineage of following the mob and italians from East NY further out and up into Queens. It sounded like Pennisi was kind of surprised at first, knowing the same places, people, rivalries, etc

One thing that was funny was at the end Hootie said "John is the real deal and was a big name in the neighborhood when I was a kid, we all knew about his rep" - Pennisi was nice enough to let him finish and not correct him, but it was Pennisi himself who said at one point he grew up a regular kid loosely, loosely connected to the fringes, and was away for a majority of Hootie's formative years. So it seems all these youtubers big eachother up... that statement almost kind of makes me a little skeptical now when I hear him/them say (insert other former LCN / current youtuber here) is the real deal... just a little.

Also in the 2011 Gambino indictment, there was another Russo. I wonder if this is Hootie's brother? He finally mentioned he had an older brother who was a neighborhood guy loosely affiliated; i wonder if it's the same guy. I also wonder what led to that indictment...
it took down the acting administration and two different crews. They got Vernace on that decades old murder, was that through the same 1-2 wire wearers who were taping the Trucchio & Mastrangelo crew guys? Hard to imagine 2 associates did all that damage

Anyway the Tom L & Pennisi podcast is shaping up to be the best LCN related content on the Net by far

[johnny_scootch]

One thing that was funny was at the end Hootie said "John is the real deal and was a big name in the neighborhood when I was a kid, we all knew about his rep" - Pennisi was nice enough to let him finish and not correct him, but it was Pennisi himself who said at one point he grew up a regular kid loosely, loosely connected to the fringes, and was away for a majority of Hootie's formative years. So it seems all these youtubers big eachother up... that statement almost kind of makes me a little skeptical now when I hear him/them say (insert other former LCN / current youtuber here) is the real deal... just a little.

I think you're off here....Ok pennisi was a regular kid who grew up loosely connected but he also did a murder right on 80th St, went on the lam for months then caught a 20 year bid. Hootie was 15 when that happened so he definitely heard all about Pennisi like everyone else in the neighborhood and that's what he was referring to when he said "John is the real deal and was a big name in the neighborhood when I was a kid, we all knew about his rep".

[Dave65827]

I think he was referring to John Alite

[johnny_scootch]

I think he was referring to John Alite

Ok I can buy that.

[Amershire_Ed]

Yeah he was talking about Alite. I’m not saying he co-signs everything out of his mouth, but Hootie has vouched for Alite in every interview he’s done. And I don’t think Hootie is saying it just to say it. He’s also been incredibly complimentary of Ronnie G, even though Gene has shit on Ronnie G plenty. So I don’t think it’s some sort of politeness thing. I think he genuinely grew up “respecting Johns game” like he said.

He and Arilotta, to me, seem to be the straightest shooters of all the new age informants giving interviews and doing podcasts. They both realize something that I think escapes Alite....that they’ve done enough dirt and seen enough stuff where they don’t have to exaggerate. Alite put enough actual work in and was around enough actual shit to not have to exaggerate. His actual stories and insight are probably good enough as is. But he’s like me at my favorite taco stand. Just one overindulging motherfucker. I can’t help myself. And neither can he. Every new pod he’s a *little* closer to Gotti Sr. I swear to God in a year he’s gonna talk about how they talked about wanting to make him.

[newera_212]

One thing that was funny was at the end Hootie said "John is the real deal and was a big name in the neighborhood when I was a kid, we all knew about his rep" - Pennisi was nice enough to let him finish and not correct him, but it was Pennisi himself who said at one point he grew up a regular kid loosely, loosely connected to the fringes, and was away for a majority of Hootie's formative years. So it seems all these youtubers big eachother up... that statement almost kind of makes me a little skeptical now when I hear him/them say (insert other former LCN / current youtuber here) is the real deal... just a little.

I think you're off here....Ok pennisi was a regular kid who grew up loosely connected but he also did a murder right on 80th St, went on the lam for months then caught a 20 year bid. Hootie was 15 when that happened so he definitely heard all about Pennisi like everyone else in the neighborhood and that's what he was referring to when he said "John is the real deal and was a big name in the neighborhood when I was a kid, we all knew about his rep".

I took it as Hootie saying Pennisi's name rung bells in LCN circles and he had a rep as a player, not as Pennisi having a rep as a nut for killing somebody over a petty dispute. But I get what you're saying because i guess on the 'streets' neither of those are a bad thing, but I consider it two different things.

I also didn't realize Hootie was that old too, but it makes sense now, remembering how he always said he was with Ronnie Trucchio first and his son second. That's a crazy situation for Al Trucchio to be in, inheriting and being in charge of guys from his dad that were older and way more seasoned than him.