General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[funkster]

Was looking through some stuff on The Atlantic's content today and it had an article about their Top 25 podcasts of the year. Number five is called you didnt see nuthin, and it is a podcast by a guy who grew up in a nearby neighborhood to Bridgeport that's about the Lenard Clark beating. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but I am a couple of episodes in and it's pretty well done.

[PolackTony]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

[Patrickgold]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

Thanks for the breakdown Tony. It seems like this Roden guy’s crime were connected with his drug addiction. Whether he testified or not, his actions led to a federal investigation in Cicero so he’s branded as a rat. The below article says he did testify to a grand jury. Now what was said exactly is not disclosed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct- ... story.html

[PolackTony]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

Thanks for the breakdown Tony. It seems like this Roden guy’s crime were connected with his drug addiction. Whether he testified or not, his actions led to a federal investigation in Cicero so he’s branded as a rat. The below article says he did testify to a grand jury. Now what was said exactly is not disclosed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct- ... story.html

It doesn't say that Roden testified to a Grand Jury, but rather that Jennifer Pine, the motorist who accused Sgt DiSantis of attacking her, and her then-boyfriend Bobby Bertucci, Paulie Cap's cousin, testified to the Grand Jury against DiSantis. Roden, on the other hand, signed a statement in support of DiSantis but then later told a Tribune reporter, while being held in DuPage County jail on unrelated charges, that he had only signed the statement in return for getting a no-cash bond and $20 (lol -- the $20 thing sounds like a crackhead move). As neither Bertucci nor Roden wound up testifying against DiSantis in his trial, so far as I can tell, my guess is that DiSantis was connected and these two were told by someone to not testify.

[Ivan]

Is this Bobby Bertucci connected somehow other than the familial relation with everyone's favorite pillar of the community? I'd never heard of him before.

[Patrickgold]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

Thanks for the breakdown Tony. It seems like this Roden guy’s crime were connected with his drug addiction. Whether he testified or not, his actions led to a federal investigation in Cicero so he’s branded as a rat. The below article says he did testify to a grand jury. Now what was said exactly is not disclosed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct- ... story.html

It doesn't say that Roden testified to a Grand Jury, but rather that Jennifer Pine, the motorist who accused Sgt DiSantis of attacking her, and her then-boyfriend Bobby Bertucci, Paulie Cap's cousin, testified to the Grand Jury against DiSantis. Roden, on the other hand, signed a statement in support of DiSantis but then later told a Tribune reporter, while being held in DuPage County jail on unrelated charges, that he had only signed the statement in return for getting a no-cash bond and $20 (lol -- the $20 thing sounds like a crackhead move). As neither Bertucci nor Roden wound up testifying against DiSantis in his trial, so far as I can tell, my guess is that DiSantis was connected and these two were told by someone to not testify.

“Records show that federal authorities subpoenaed records of Disantis' Nov. 1, 2004, interview with Roden in Cicero police headquarters. Roden said he testified about the interview and his statement before a federal grand jury in January where he stuck to his false story.

But Roden now says that both his statement and grand-jury testimony are bogus. He said he offered the statement because the no-cash bond would keep him out of court at a time when he was on parole for burglary.”

Looks like he testified in a federal grand jury which was seeking indictment of Desantis. Might have gave a false statement.

[PolackTony]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

Thanks for the breakdown Tony. It seems like this Roden guy’s crime were connected with his drug addiction. Whether he testified or not, his actions led to a federal investigation in Cicero so he’s branded as a rat. The below article says he did testify to a grand jury. Now what was said exactly is not disclosed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct- ... story.html

It doesn't say that Roden testified to a Grand Jury, but rather that Jennifer Pine, the motorist who accused Sgt DiSantis of attacking her, and her then-boyfriend Bobby Bertucci, Paulie Cap's cousin, testified to the Grand Jury against DiSantis. Roden, on the other hand, signed a statement in support of DiSantis but then later told a Tribune reporter, while being held in DuPage County jail on unrelated charges, that he had only signed the statement in return for getting a no-cash bond and $20 (lol -- the $20 thing sounds like a crackhead move). As neither Bertucci nor Roden wound up testifying against DiSantis in his trial, so far as I can tell, my guess is that DiSantis was connected and these two were told by someone to not testify.

“Records show that federal authorities subpoenaed records of Disantis' Nov. 1, 2004, interview with Roden in Cicero police headquarters. Roden said he testified about the interview and his statement before a federal grand jury in January where he stuck to his false story.

But Roden now says that both his statement and grand-jury testimony are bogus. He said he offered the statement because the no-cash bond would keep him out of court at a time when he was on parole for burglary.”

Looks like he testified in a federal grand jury which was seeking indictment of Desantis. Might have gave a false statement.

Ah ok, thanks. I had another version of this article that didn’t say this. But to be clear, both his statement and grand jury testimony were then in support of DiSantis, denying that Jennifer Pine’s allegations were true. Then he later changed his story and told a Tribune reporter that he had lied.

[PolackTony]

Is this Bobby Bertucci connected somehow other than the familial relation with everyone's favorite pillar of the community? I'd never heard of him before.

I believe that he was Player, but I’ve never heard about him being connected.

[Patrickgold]

Yeah possibly, no way to confirm Roden is one of his Cicero sources but it's possible. Hard to judge Scott even if he's one of them, could be one of a handful. But I would agree he's mostly a goof, his primary connection seems to be that his grandfather or something worked as a doorman at one of Jimmy Marcello's clubs.

His great uncle, Daniel “Butch” Messina, who died in 2022, was the guy who ran the door at some clubs on Roosevelt for Marcello. His great-grandfather was Domenico Messina, a Taylor St guy noted in the papers as a “hoodlum” in the 1940s who later owned a bar in Lakeview.

Dom Messina’s parents were from Acerra, so he may have been a distant cousin of some sort of Willie Messino (his paternal grandmother was also an Esposito). Seems like they had some low level associates in the family for a couple generations, which is unsurprising given where they were from.

Stevie Roden is the grandson of Dom Messina’s eldest son, Gennaro Messina. I’m unaware that Stevie B has any outfit affiliation himself, of course, apart from in the very general sense of being a Player (which is also why it’s unsurprising that his brother would know that Montoro guy).

In 2005, Stevie gave some interviews to the Tribune where he alleged that Cicero PD Sgt James DiSantis offered to arrange a no-cash bond for him in exchange for Roden agreeing to testify that DiSantis did not beat the crap out of some chick in a traffic stop in 2003. Roden and Bobby Bertucci had been in the car with the woman during the incident; Bertucci I believe is Paulie Cap’s cousin. The complaint by the woman led to a Federal probe of civil rights violations and organized crime ties in the Cicero PD. Stevie B was in jail in DuPage on unrelated shoplifting charges when he told the Tribune that he had lied in DiSantis’ favor in order to get a bond because he was already on parole for burglary charges. DiSantis wound up getting convicted and had an appeal denied in 2009; the document below describes Roden and Bertucci as “potential government witnesses”, but it doesn’t seem like either of them actually testified against DeSantis in his trial (note also that Disantis was represented by Alex Salerno, Bobby Salerno’s kid).

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-7t ... 22241.html

Thanks for the breakdown Tony. It seems like this Roden guy’s crime were connected with his drug addiction. Whether he testified or not, his actions led to a federal investigation in Cicero so he’s branded as a rat. The below article says he did testify to a grand jury. Now what was said exactly is not disclosed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct- ... story.html

It doesn't say that Roden testified to a Grand Jury, but rather that Jennifer Pine, the motorist who accused Sgt DiSantis of attacking her, and her then-boyfriend Bobby Bertucci, Paulie Cap's cousin, testified to the Grand Jury against DiSantis. Roden, on the other hand, signed a statement in support of DiSantis but then later told a Tribune reporter, while being held in DuPage County jail on unrelated charges, that he had only signed the statement in return for getting a no-cash bond and $20 (lol -- the $20 thing sounds like a crackhead move). As neither Bertucci nor Roden wound up testifying against DiSantis in his trial, so far as I can tell, my guess is that DiSantis was connected and these two were told by someone to not testify.

“Records show that federal authorities subpoenaed records of Disantis' Nov. 1, 2004, interview with Roden in Cicero police headquarters. Roden said he testified about the interview and his statement before a federal grand jury in January where he stuck to his false story.

But Roden now says that both his statement and grand-jury testimony are bogus. He said he offered the statement because the no-cash bond would keep him out of court at a time when he was on parole for burglary.”

Looks like he testified in a federal grand jury which was seeking indictment of Desantis. Might have gave a false statement.

Ah ok, thanks. I had another version of this article that didn’t say this. But to be clear, both his statement and grand jury testimony were then in support of DiSantis, denying that Jennifer Pine’s allegations were true. Then he later changed his story and told a Tribune reporter that he had lied.

Yes I know that is what he claims but remember if you lie to a federal grand jury then you would get indicted for perjury on a federal charge. Maybe he was charged because he freely admitted he lied. I just don’t know. Desantis I think was eventually charged and convicted so I would be surprised if Roden didnt testify in some capacity or at least provide info to the Feds where he wouldn’t be charged. Either way, I’m surprised Scott would even claim the Outfit would get within 100 feet of this guy and be considered an outfit associate. He post a lot of stupid shit on Facebook about Santa muerta and cartel stuff. Definitely not outfit caliber.

[PolackTony]

Yeah, I doubt that Roden is anything more than a goof. I suspect very much that DiSantis was mobbed up (the Feds apparently thought so), and at the least, Roden’s interview with the Trib where he claimed he lied for DiSantis could only have hurt DiSantis. You bring up a good point about perjury. While it seems pretty clear from DiSantis’ appeal that Roden didn’t testify in trial against him, I’d think he probably gave a statement to the Feds about it, which would explain why he doesn’t seem to have been charged with perjury (if he was charged, it wasn’t reported).

I wonder how the Players view Roden; as in, is he seen as a goof/rat by them, or respected as an old head.

For anyone interested, here’s a photo of Roden (in the rear, right) with some fellow Players back in the 90s. The guy in the front with no shirt is Bobby “Taz” English, a notorious ATSPN member who is currently incarcerated and is supposedly a high ranking leader in the organization. His brother, Billy English, was murdered in ‘96 by rival gang members and his son, Bobby English Jr, was murdered a couple of years ago (Antiliar’s source claimed that Bobby Jr was killed by the mob for stealing from an outfit guy). I’m not 100% certain, but the kid in the front right I think was Joey Montoro:

[Ivan]

So the Players are still an active gang? How many of the younger members are white kids? I'm guessing they're mostly Hispanic now, right?

[funkster]

Good find on the pic. Im guessing Disantis does indeed have outfit connections if he was represented by Salerno.

[PolackTony]

So the Players are still an active gang? How many of the younger members are white kids? I'm guessing they're mostly Hispanic now, right?

Yes, still active. They retain their original hood in Cicero and Berwyn, with some sections in nearby suburbs like Stickney. They had a couple of sections on the South and SW Sides of the city back in the day, but those have since been closed due to intense police pressure. They were actually the only suburban gang that ever opened up any sections in the city, which is pretty impressive, but they had a close relationship with the Insane Popes, a mainly Polish/Irish gang based on the SW Side that was also affiliated with the People alliance. They fought some really rough wars with rival Folks gangs like the SDs and Gangster Two Six, both very violent organizations, in the 90s when the Players were holding territory in the Clearing neighborhood on the SW Side, which had become a hotbed of gang activity in those years.

I’m not sure really how many of the younger members today are white/Italian. I haven’t been on the street in a long time but in my day, in the 90s, they were still known as a majority Italian group. They have had a lot of Mexican members for a long time though. Cicero today is almost 90% Latino, mostly Mexican.

[PolackTony]

Good find on the pic. Im guessing Disantis does indeed have outfit connections if he was represented by Salerno.

No, not the Cicero PD! Truly shocking.

[Patrickgold]

Yeah, I doubt that Roden is anything more than a goof. I suspect very much that DiSantis was mobbed up (the Feds apparently thought so), and at the least, Roden’s interview with the Trib where he claimed he lied for DiSantis could only have hurt DiSantis. You bring up a good point about perjury. While it seems pretty clear from DiSantis’ appeal that Roden didn’t testify in trial against him, I’d think he probably gave a statement to the Feds about it, which would explain why he doesn’t seem to have been charged with perjury (if he was charged, it wasn’t reported).

I wonder how the Players view Roden; as in, is he seen as a goof/rat by them, or respected as an old head.

For anyone interested, here’s a photo of Roden (in the rear, right) with some fellow Players back in the 90s. The guy in the front with no shirt is Bobby “Taz” English, a notorious ATSPN member who is currently incarcerated and is supposedly a high ranking leader in the organization. His brother, Billy English, was murdered in ‘96 by rival gang members and his son, Bobby English Jr, was murdered a couple of years ago (Antiliar’s source claimed that Bobby Jr was killed by the mob for stealing from an outfit guy). I’m not 100% certain, but the kid in the front right I think was Joey Montoro:

I will personally say that I don’t think he is viewed well. Roden even posted on Facebook that a player took his poster down from Alfano’s on Roosevelt. He blasted the guys picture on Facebook and said he took care of it later. Why would members of his own gang be disrespecting him like that? He’s also always saying there are a lot of haters out there and brags about his success which makes me believe he is not well liked on the street.

I will also personally say that I talked to a verified outfit connected player that told me he views him as a rat and a joke.