Gangster Report - Phillys Cowboy Martorano Free

[Handsome Stevie]

Philly Mob Figure “Cowboy” Rides Back To Free World, America’s Longest-Serving Non-Violent Felon Released After 32 Years
Scott Burnstein

East Coast and Featured and Mafia and Mafia Insider and Mob Hits and Philadelphia

cowboy

Former Philadelphia mafia associate and convicted federal narcotics-trafficker George (Cowboy) Martorano finally walked free last week after 32 years behind bars thanks to the Obama White House pushing for a change in sentencing guidelines and the release of non-violent drug offenders. The son of slain Philly mobster and fellow convicted drug-peddler Raymond (Long John) Martorano, Cowboy Martorano, 65, was the longest serving non-violent drug offender in the federal prison system. The younger Martorano left a low-security correctional facility in Florida last Tuesday afternoon, tasting freedom for the first time since Ronald Reagan was President (his first term no less).

He began writing in prison and kept a blog on the internet the past several years of his incarceration, sharing with readers his thoughts, short stories and poems – he self-published a novel, too. On the outside, he ran his drug operation out of Florida in coordination with heavily-financed Mafiosi hailing from Philadelphia, New York and Northeast Pennsylvania.

The 1982 indictment Cowboy Martorano was named and eventually convicted of, charging him with heading multi-million dollar marijuana, meth, heroin and cocaine-empire, is the only conviction on his criminal record and the first arrest he ever took. Nonetheless, with his case immersed in the Reagan administration-promoted overzealous, draconian drug laws, he was sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole. His dad, Long John, a seasoned South Philly mob narco czar, was killed in the winter of 2002, gunned down behind the wheel of his Lincoln Town Car on a street in his neighborhood as he drove to a doctor’s appointment, succumbing to his wounds weeks later in the intensive care unit of a Pennsylvania hospital.

Released from a near two-decade stint in prison himself three years earlier, the elder and always dapperly-dressed Martorano is rumored to have locked horns with then-acting don Joseph (Uncle Joe) Ligambi in a dispute over sections of territory in the area’s burgeoning video-poker machine business. Nobody has ever been arrested in the Long John Martorano murder.

Ligambi beat racketeering charges two years ago and is alleged to be in semi-retirement, assuming consigliere duties in the newly-regenerated Joseph (Skinny Joe) Merlino era. Merlino, 53, came out of prison in 2011 after a dozen years on a RICO conviction and retook his throne atop the Italian mafia in the City of Brotherly Love, which Ligambi allegedly kept warm for him while he was away.
Raymond (Long John) Martorano at congressional hearings held in the 1970s

Raymond (Long John) Martorano in the 1970s

Long John Martorano, 75 at the time he was killed, was the syndicate’s primary drug lieutenant, labor-union fixer and a liaison to Philadelphia’s black, Irish and biker gang underworlds, dating back to the last half of the Angelo Bruno era (Bruno’s 21-year reign as Godfather of the Philly mafia was brutally ended in March 1980 when he was shotgunned to death as he sat smoking a cigarette in a car outside his house). Cowboy Martorano, a well-known playboy and ladies man, followed in his dad’s hoodlum footsteps and became known as a master drug dealer with the innate ability to construct relationships with and between different criminal factions and make the alliances worth everyone’s while financially.

In late 1983, Martorano, heeding the counsel of grizzled east coast mob attorney and de-facto Philly LCN crime family “in-house lawyer” Bobby Simone, pled guilty to charges of drug trafficking under the belief that he’d be slapped with a 10-year bid (the mandatory minimum). Instead, he was slammed with life (the mandatory maximum). Simone was indicted in a tax evasion case months prior.

U.S. Prosecutors estimated Martorano’s operation was netting roughly 75 million dollars a year in illicit gains. Federal agents seized $130,000 in cash, 3,000 pounds of marijuana, two kilos of heroin, 300,000 bunk quaaludes from Martorano in a 1981 raid. Those familiar with Martorano and the Philadelphia gangland landscape say Cowboy is hanging up his hat, lasso and spurs, being very vocal about his desire to not return to a life of crime.

[Pogo The Clown]

The 1982 indictment Cowboy Martorano was named and eventually convicted of, charging him with heading multi-million dollar marijuana, meth, heroin and cocaine-empire, is the only conviction on his criminal record and the first arrest he ever took. Nonetheless, with his case immersed in the Reagan administration-promoted overzealous, draconian drug laws, he was sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

They were hardly overzealous and draconian. As we have seen they didn't go far enough.


Pogo

[Pogo The Clown]

It's also funny how George Martorano is listed as "non-violent" when he took part in at least one murder and no doubt had a hand in others.


Pogo

[B.]

It's also funny how George Martorano is listed as "non-violent" when he took part in at least one murder and non doubt had a hand in others.


Pogo

Yeah, he was definitely violent. I don't necessarily agree with the sentence he received, but he was a gangster kingpin in the same mold as his father so it's not like he was some sap who got wrongly convicted.

I do genuinely think he is done with his past, though, especially after his father's murder.

[brianwellbrock]

Funny how he was a kingpin in his own right but was just an associate when it came to the mob. Any idea who he was kicking up to?

[B.]

Funny how he was a kingpin in his own right but was just an associate when it came to the mob. Any idea who he was kicking up to?

His father was behind him, no doubt.

[Jimmerz]

You guys would be amazed at the maneuvering behind the scenes that supposedly went on back in the 80's before "Cowboy" got popped. I have a PCC report, that mentions wiretaps and informant information that Martorano "Jr." and his dad were trying to take over South Philly from Scarfo, with the aid of Cowboys black drug distribution network. Not sure if any of this even ever came close to getting off the ground, or if it was all just Cowboy running his mouth. I'll try and find the information, just found my stack of PCC reports and post back later with the exact information.

[phatmatress777]

Now they need to free white boy rick! If anyone is u familiar with him google his story! It's out of this world out own Scott burnstein covers him in many ways and I believe is doing an biography about him


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[toto]

Was Raymond Martorano close to Gambino brothers? If so, this idea of trying to take Philly family may not be so unbelieveable especially after what happened when Stanfa took power some years after this. I think the father was murdered because he wanted to be boss so again that's something else to show maybe he always felt that way.