New England soldier dies

[Wiseguy]

Carr: Mafia soldier Ralphie “Chong” Lamattina dies quietly in his bed
A relic from gangland past
Howie Carr
April 23, 2017

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The funeral home death notice for Ralphie “Chong” Lamattina made the 94-year-old gangster seem like a lovable old geezer.

“The red roses on his casket,” it read, “represent his love for his mother Rose, his love for his family, and his love of the ponies!”

He also loved the Mafia, which he worked for most of his life.

“He was born across the street from where he died,” the notice continued. “For all his life he stayed almost exclusively on Hanover Street and in the North End.”

Well, except for the years he spent in state prison after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in the 1966 gangland hits of two of Joe Barboza’s hoods in Chong’s bucket-of-blood club on Commercial Street. And then, of course, there were those years he spent as a fugitive in Italy after being indicted by the feds in 1984.

He returned a decade or so later to tell a federal judge he had never heard of the Mafia and served another five years or so in federal prison under the Bureau of Prisons number 20747-038 before finally being released in 2000.

But other than those brief interludes, I guess Ralphie Chong did spend most of his life “In Town,” as they used to say.

The fact that his passing this month went almost totally unnoticed shows just how much everything has changed in Boston.

The night Ralphie Chong died, I got a call from a perplexed editor on the Herald city desk.

“Some guy who seemed to know what he was talking about just called and said an old-time gangster just died, but the name didn’t seem right — Ralphie Chong.”

He got that moniker because his eyes supposedly somehow looked Asian.

Mostly he was known as one of Larry Baione’s crew. He used to hang out with Larry in his “club” on North Margin Street, and that’s where the feds recorded many of his pensees — like about the night the boys murdered Barboza’s two hoods, Tash Bratsos and Tommy DePrisco.

Violating all Mob protocol about never beginning a sentence with the words, “Remember when ...” Ralphie Chong asked his boss, “Remember when we did that work in, in, in the Nite Lite?”

Larry, always the perfectionist, critiqued the hit.

“It shouldn’t have happened inside the joint,” he said. “Once they get on the sidewalk, crack them and bleep them and walk away.”

Ralphie Chong was also there with Larry the night in 1981 when Baione lectured a dirtball who’d stolen money from the Winter Hill Gang that he’d have to pay them back.

“Maybe you don’t understand,” Baione sternly told him, as Ralphie Chong nodded and the FBI rolled tape. “We’re the Hill and the Hill is us and we cannot tolerate them getting bleeped.”

The G-men were ecstatic. They finally had proof that the two gangs, the Mafia and Winter Hill, had merged. It was the lecture that launched dozens of indictments.

Baione died in a prison hospital, and his soldier outlived him by 20 years, dying apparently in his own bed. They even had a wake for Ralphie Chong.

“It was the loneliest wake you ever saw,” said someone who knows.

But then, he’d outlived almost everyone, including his brother, “Joe Black.” Baione’s old social club is now a doggie day care center. They call it the Dogfather.

“He was proud of his Sicilian heritage,” Ralphie Chong’s death notice said, “and devoted to his family.”

That’s one way of putting it.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/column ... tly_in_his

[Wiseguy]

By my count that leaves 37 known members remaining.

[willychichi]

By my count that leaves 37 known members remaining.

Pogo, do we have a current accurate list of the Family's administration, Captains and Soldiers? At their peak how many soldiers and Captains did the Patriarca's have?

[Pogo The Clown]

No on the first part. As to their peak I've seen them listed at 65 made members during the reign of Ray Patriarca Sr. That sounds about right. Their Capo peak looks to have been in the late 80s when they had 9 Capos. Though their Capo peak may not necessarily have been their membership peak.


Pogo

[Wiseguy]

Here's names that have been listed many times before. Didn't bother to include ranks. Ages may need updating. Actually 36 members I count.



Providence:
1. Joseph “Joe the Bishop” Achille Sr/80
2. Vito “The Ox” DeLuca/72
3. William "Billy Blackjack" Delsanto/73
4. Matthew "Matty Gugs" Guglielmetti Jr/68
5. Edward "Eddie" Lato/69
6. Luigi “Louie/Baby Shanks” Manocchio/89
7. Frank “BoBo” Marrapese/73
8. Raymond “Junior” Patriarca/71
9. Joseph Ruggiero/66
10. Alfred "Chippy" Scivola/75


Boston:
1. William Angelesco/45
2. Darin Bufalino/55
3. John Cincotti/77
4. Robert “Bobby” Carrozza/76
5. Biagio “Benny” DiGiacomo/70
6. Anthony DiNunzio/58
7. Carmen "Fat Carmen/The Cheese Man" DiNunzio/58
8. Vincent Federico/56
9. Vincent “The Animal” Ferrara/67
10. Richard “Richie the Pig” Gambale/74
11. Vincent “Dee Dee” Gioacchini/64
12. Frank Imbruglia/85
13. Peter Limone/82
14. Dennis “Champagne” LePore/70
15. James “Jimmy” Martorano/75
16. Joseph “Junior” Pingaro/61
17. Michael “Mike” Prochillo/45
18. Pryce “Stretch” Quintina/76
19. Stephen Rossetti/58
20. John “Jackie” Salemme/73
21. Frederick “Freddie the Neighbour” Simone/66
22. Anthony "Spucky/Crazy Eyes" Spagnolo/74
23. Carmen Tortora/69


Connecticut:
1. Anthony “Tony the Beaver” Ascenzia Jr/57
2. Salvatore “Butch” D'Aquila/76
3. Americo “The Cigar” Petrillo/82

[willychichi]

Here's names that have been listed many times before. Didn't bother to include ranks. Ages may need updating. Actually 36 members I count.



Providence:
1. Joseph “Joe the Bishop” Achille Sr/80
2. Vito “The Ox” DeLuca/72
3. William "Billy Blackjack" Delsanto/73
4. Matthew "Matty Gugs" Guglielmetti Jr/68
5. Edward "Eddie" Lato/69
6. Luigi “Louie/Baby Shanks” Manocchio/89
7. Frank “BoBo” Marrapese/73
8. Raymond “Junior” Patriarca/71
9. Joseph Ruggiero/66
10. Alfred "Chippy" Scivola/75


Boston:
1. William Angelesco/45
2. Darin Bufalino/55
3. John Cincotti/77
4. Robert “Bobby” Carrozza/76
5. Biagio “Benny” DiGiacomo/70
6. Anthony DiNunzio/58
7. Carmen "Fat Carmen/The Cheese Man" DiNunzio/58
8. Vincent Federico/56
9. Vincent “The Animal” Ferrara/67
10. Richard “Richie the Pig” Gambale/74
11. Vincent “Dee Dee” Gioacchini/64
12. Frank Imbruglia/85
13. Peter Limone/82
14. Dennis “Champagne” LePore/70
15. James “Jimmy” Martorano/75
16. Joseph “Junior” Pingaro/61
17. Michael “Mike” Prochillo/45
18. Pryce “Stretch” Quintina/76
19. Stephen Rossetti/58
20. John “Jackie” Salemme/73
21. Frederick “Freddie the Neighbour” Simone/66
22. Anthony "Spucky/Crazy Eyes" Spagnolo/74
23. Carmen Tortora/69


Connecticut:
1. Anthony “Tony the Beaver” Ascenzia Jr/57
2. Salvatore “Butch” D'Aquila/76
3. Americo “The Cigar” Petrillo/82

Thanks Wiseguy, much obliged.

[willychichi]

No on the first part. As to their peak I've seen them listed at 65 made members during the reign of Ray Patriarca Sr. That sounds about right. Their Capo peak looks to have been in the late 80s when they had 9 Capos. Though their Capo peak may not necessarily have been their membership peak.


Pogo

Thanks Pogo, I just assumed their membership numbers were in the 40-50 range when they were at their peak.

[Pogo The Clown]

We can scratch off Americo Petrillo as a member. He died in 2008. Salvatore D'Aquila may be dead as well. Not sure on him. Looking at everything it certainly looks like the family is winding down.


Pogo

[willychichi]

We can scratch off Americo Petrillo as a member. He died in 2008. Salvatore D'Aquila may be dead as well. Not sure on him. Looking at everything it certainly looks like the family is winding down.


Pogo

I didn't find anything on Salvatore D'Aquila in the FBI Dead list but I'll keep looking to see if I can find something to confirm his death.

[mike68]

Newly made within the past couple of years are John Scarpelli, Salvatore 'Tore' Marino, and Louis DiNunzio (son of Anthony, nephew of Carmen)

[mike68]

Added a couple of notes on some of these guys (only based what I've read, no first hand knowledge).

Providence:
1. Joseph “Joe the Bishop” Achille Sr/80
2. Vito “The Ox” DeLuca/72
3. William "Billy Blackjack" Delsanto/73 -semi retired, health issues
4. Matthew "Matty Gugs" Guglielmetti Jr/68 - apparent underboss
5. Edward "Eddie" Lato/69 - IP
6. Luigi “Louie/Baby Shanks” Manocchio/89 - retired
7. Frank “BoBo” Marrapese/73 - IP
8. Raymond “Junior” Patriarca/71 - shelvevd
9. Joseph Ruggiero/66
10. Alfred "Chippy" Scivola/75


Boston:
1. William Angelesco/45
2. Darin Bufalino/55
3. John Cincotti/77
4. Robert “Bobby” Carrozza/76
5. Biagio “Benny” DiGiacomo/70 - retired, in restaraunt business
6. Anthony DiNunzio/58 - IP
7. Carmen "Fat Carmen/The Cheese Man" DiNunzio/58
8. Vincent Federico/56
9. Vincent “The Animal” Ferrara/67 - inactive
10. Richard “Richie the Pig” Gambale/74
11. Vincent “Dee Dee” Gioacchini/64
12. Frank Imbruglia/85
13. Peter Limone/82 - health issues, not sure if active
14. Dennis “Champagne” LePore/70
15. James “Jimmy” Martorano/75
16. Joseph “Junior” Pingaro/61
17. Michael “Mike” Prochillo/45
18. Pryce “Stretch” Quintina/76
19. Stephen Rossetti/58 - IP for years
20. John “Jackie” Salemme/73
21. Frederick “Freddie the Neighbour” Simone/66
22. Anthony "Spucky/Crazy Eyes" Spagnolo/74
23. Carmen Tortora/69


Connecticut:
1. Anthony “Tony the Beaver” Ascenzia Jr/57
2. Salvatore “Butch” D'Aquila/76
3. Americo “The Cigar” Petrillo/82

[mike68]

One other note, Michael Romano, a member of the renegade faction during the 90's war, got out of prison fairly recently. I don't know if he is still involved. His son was murdered while changing a tire during the war. He whacked out Joe Souza in broad daylight in Maverick Square, East Boston in response as he held him responsible.

[Pogo The Clown]

Newly made within the past couple of years are John Scarpelli, Salvatore 'Tore' Marino, and Louis DiNunzio (son of Anthony, nephew of Carmen)

I don't think any of these have been confirmed.


Pogo

[tmarotta]

Pogo is right on Scarpelli, Marino, and Dinunzio. Although Dinunzio has been identified as an alleged made member. Gregory Costa has also been allegedly made as well. Again none of these guys have been confirmed by LE.

[Wiseguy]

Newly made within the past couple of years are John Scarpelli, Salvatore 'Tore' Marino, and Louis DiNunzio (son of Anthony, nephew of Carmen)

I've only seen internet talk about those guys. Nothing official yet. But if Philadelphia and New Jersey are still making guys, it's certainly possible New England is too.