Joey merlino and others busted

[Snakes]

Get that egg salad outta there

[Rocco]

I smell burning hair.

Anyone else smell burning hair?

I smell cut grass.


Pogo

I fuckin love florida....a guinea heaven would be ocean front condo in south florida. endless supply of coke, booze, hot broads....and your wife liven w/the kids in jersey...

[willychichi]

More on the story

By George Anastasia

Merlino Turns Down Plea Offer In Big Mob Case

Earlier this month prosecutors notified Manhattan Federal Judge Richard Sullivan that a "global or near global" plea agreement has been worked out with a "substantial" number of the defendants.

No particulars were provided about the deals but prosecutors said the defendants had a May 19 deadline to accept the offers. Sources have said that Merlino has balked at any plea deal and intends to go to trial.

Merlino is described in the indictment as one of the leaders in what the feds have called "The East Coast LCN Enterprise," a designation that applies to an organization that exists only on paper and in the minds of some federal prosecutors. Mob capos Pasquale (Patsy) Parello and Eugene (Rooster) O'Nofrio share top billing with Skinny Joey.

Parrello, however, has taken a deal, pleading guilty to a superseding criminal information charging him with three counts of conspiracy to commit extortion. The deal will reportedly carry a sentence of about five years for the 72-year-old wise guy.

Sources say O'Nofrio has declined to even consider a plea offer and like Merlino, who has reportedly rejected a deal that would carry a two-year sentence, he is prepared to go to trial.

Read more at http://www.bigtrial.net/2017/05/merlino ... Gkr3Vtp.99

[willychichi]

According to this article everyone in this case has agreed to a plea except Merlino. Also they are reporting that Merlino has never taken a plea in his life.

Joey Merlino turning the tables on the feds in East Coast LCN Enterprise case?

Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino the alleged boss of the Philadelphia mafia has been a mainstay on the feds radar since his release from prison back in 2011. Merlino was busted along with over 40 other alleged mafia members and associates for being part of what the feds have labeled as the East Coast LCN Enterprise. Now it an odd twist of fate it’s Merlino who is apparently putting the pressure on the feds by holding firm on his refusal to agree to a plea deal in the case. Skinny Joey was facing multiple charges including racketeering conspiracy which could have landed him behind bars for an extended period of time. But the feds case began to fall apart after an alleged misconduct probe was launched looking into possible misdeed by three FBI agents in the case. This bizarre turn prompted prosecutors to offer some sweet plea deals agreeing to drop the main racketeering conspiracy charge allowing the defendants to plead guilty to only the lesser charges leading to drastically reduced sentences. Merlino was one of eight defendants who opted out of the original plea negotiations but according to sources everyone except Joey has now agreed to some kind of deal or are very close to an agreement. Joey seems to be the last man standing and at least seems content to roll the dice and take the feds on at trial. Merlino has always been proud to say that he has never taken a plea deal in his life and sources claim he is saying that he doesn’t plan to start taking them now.

Read more: http://aboutthemafia.com/author/TheBoss

[Wiseguy]

Accused Philly mob boss will fight feds’ racketeering charges
By Kaja Whitehouse
June 6, 2017


Reputed Philly mob boss Jo​seph “Skinny​ Joey​” Merlino is gearing up for battle in a massive racketeering case brought by Manhattan federal prosecutors, ​turning down a sweet deal from the feds and hiring a big-shot lawyer, The Post has learned.

Merlino, ​55, ​whose expensive suits and Rolls Royce are reminiscent of a bygone era, hired mob lawyer and Pace University law professor John Meringolo on Tuesday, court papers show.

Merlino hired Meringolo — who has represented ​former ​Gambino boss John “Junior” Gotti and acting capo Greg DePalma — because he plans to take his case to trial despite a ​plea offer that could have left him with less than two years​ prison time​, sources ​said.

Merlino, who also lives part-time in Boca Raton, Fla., has rolled the dice on trials before and won, including charges that he murdered an associate in 1996 for being disloyal.

If he losses this​ ​time, he face​s​ as much as 20 years ​behind bars​.

The accused head of the Philadelphia Crime Family was rounded up last year in a massive bust that snared 46 accused ​wiseguys from four out of the five major crime families, including reputed Genovese capo and Arthur Ave. restaurateur Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello.

The vast majority of the defendants, including Parrello, already ​copped ​to light plea deals earlier this year amid concerns about evidence in the case.

Merlino, by contrast, is “betting the government doesn’t want anyone to know what really went on” with the evidence in question, one source said.

As The Post first reported in March, prosecutors have warned that two FBI agents and a supervising agent in the case were being probed internally about their interactions with a key witness.

The witness, Genovese associate John Rubio, worked for Merlino after getting permission from Parrello, his former boss, the feds have said.

Another source said Merlino is just worried that if he pleads guilty to illegal gambling in exchange for a reduced sentence, the feds will recharge him in Florida or New Jersey where some of the illegal sports betting allegedly occurred.

http://nypost.com/2017/06/06/accused-ph ... g-charges/

[dixiemafia]

If they were offering 2 years their case must not be that strong.

[Rocco]

Joey is lucky he is not going to trial in FL. They would convict him on hear say. HE is still rolling the dice by going to trail. If he loses he is fucked. And also his is basically sticking his nose out at the feds which is not a good method to take. We all know what happened to Gotti when he did that. There is no good ending for this guy down the rd. He should have taken the 2yrs on the chin like everyone else. You cant fix stupid...

[SonnyBlackstein]

If he loses he is fucked. And also his is basically sticking his nose out at the feds which is not a good method to take... He should have taken the 2yrs on the chin like everyone else. You cant fix stupid...

This.

[Teddy Persico]

The government is the one that really don't want to take the case to trial. O'Nofrio also refused to consider a plea deal. If the tapes are inadmissible in whole or part, then there isn't much of a case against Merlino since he (presumably) wasn't directly involved in any of the crimes. It also makes it easier to question the credibility of Rubeo as an informant.

Merlino, by contrast, is “betting the government doesn’t want anyone to know what really went on” with the evidence in question, one source said... Another source said Merlino is just worried that if he pleads guilty to illegal gambling in exchange for a reduced sentence, the feds will recharge him in Florida or New Jersey where some of the illegal sports betting allegedly occurred.

In another article, it stated that another reason Merlino wasn't keen on taking a plea bargain is over the six figure sum (or more, Sirkin had to pay $2.5 million) he'd have to forfeit. He really is a cheap bastard.

[Garbageman]

Joey is lucky he is not going to trial in FL. They would convict him on hear say. HE is still rolling the dice by going to trail. If he loses he is fucked. And also his is basically sticking his nose out at the feds which is not a good method to take. We all know what happened to Gotti when he did that. There is no good ending for this guy down the rd. He should have taken the 2yrs on the chin like everyone else. You cant fix stupid...

I don't know this guy, I'm sure he's fairly stupid, but if the last decade of giant mob busts has taught us anything, it's that these large cases don't hold water like they used to sometimes. After doing almost 20 years in the feds, this Merino knows the deal. I'd roll the dice too, fuck em. Even in the SDNY, I'd Reject everything, let's go to trial. Eve of trial, sweet plea agreement offer by the govt, guaranteed

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Charlie]

Merlino is far from dumb...The guy has continually been written off the past 25 years but he's still standing and the boss.
"Cooking up" cases so to speak with very questionable characters as main witnesses and what can be seen as the feds tampering with evidence...That case is weak and I could easily see a jury in New York acquit him of all charges...
I agree it is a gamble though...But what do you expect from a guy who has served half of his life in jail.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Merlino is far from dumb...
"Cooking up" cases so to speak with very questionable characters as main witnesses and what can be seen as the feds tampering with evidence...That case is weak and I could easily see a jury in New York acquit him of all charges...

Sure.
But two things, firstly he's guilty as shit so this is not a question of him not wanting to do the time because he didn't do the crime and with that in mind, secondly, it boils down to 2yrs vs 20.
And he's rolling the dice? Remember your Ida reference in the next thread.
So yes, Merlino is the definition of stupid. No way round it.

[Chucky]

Him being guilty in the eyes of a jury is what he's banking on though. The fact the feds would offer Merlino, of all people, a two-year deal is surprising, or not given the case against him is reliant on Rubio, who isn't looking so hot as a witness right now. O'Nofrio looks like he'll go to trial too.

Also, for what it's worth, I doubt Merlino would roll the dice like this if his lawyers weren't confident they'd beat this case.

[Rocco]

Joey is lucky he is not going to trial in FL. They would convict him on hear say. HE is still rolling the dice by going to trail. If he loses he is fucked. And also his is basically sticking his nose out at the feds which is not a good method to take. We all know what happened to Gotti when he did that. There is no good ending for this guy down the rd. He should have taken the 2yrs on the chin like everyone else. You cant fix stupid...

I don't know this guy, I'm sure he's fairly stupid, but if the last decade of giant mob busts has taught us anything, it's that these large cases don't hold water like they used to sometimes. After doing almost 20 years in the feds, this Merino knows the deal. I'd roll the dice too, fuck em. Even in the SDNY, I'd Reject everything, let's go to trial. Eve of trial, sweet plea agreement offer by the govt, guaranteed

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

At 52 I would not roll the dice. Even the Bronx Westside Capo in his 70s took the plea. Instead Merlino's attorneys should have worked out a "Blanket Plea" that would cover crimes in FL and NY. He would be out at 54 . But a guy like Merlino lives everyday waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him. The Past Murders never go away on a Federal level. He should have pushed the plea. BUT maybe he and his lawyers know allot more then we do and think the Feds will drop charges before going to trial? Who knows what cards they are holding. I bet with money not my life or freedom. I would have been 4 weeks into my 2yr sentence by now..... I a way I think a guy like Merlino is going to trial for the camera time. He likes the attention like Gotti did. It seems to be a priority to him. Driving are in a white Rolls thumbing his knows at the feds like he doesn't know how this story ends. Gotti wasn't able to see who the story ended either until he was in Marion a good 3yrs....

[Chucky]

Merlino going to trial as a means of getting camera time isn't an "out there" thought Roc man. For him, potentially embarrassing the feds in court is worth the risk.