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[Cheech]

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August 9, 2018 This Week in Gang Land
By Jerry Capeci

'Perturbed' By 'Tarnished' Turncoat, Judge Grants Bail To Luchese Capo

Gang Land Exclusive!Judge Cathy SeibelA federal judge ruled last week that Luchese capo Steven D. (Stevie Junior) Crea should be granted bail thanks to the tall tales told by the mob turncoat who linked him to the 2013 gangland-style slaying of former Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish.

Crea, who's been behind bars since May of last year, could be released on home detention as early as today. Crea's dad, Luchese family underboss Steve (Stevie Wonder) Crea, who's charged with the same murder and has been locked up during the same stretch, was in court to hear the good news about his son. But the elder Crea will remain behind bars until his trial in March.

In her ruling, White Plains Judge Cathy Seibel called the cooperator, Frank Pasqua III, a "tarnished" witness who said "things about that murder that turned out to be totally wrong."

More onerously for the government, Seibel said she was "perturbed" that prosecutors had failed to tell her at a prior bail hearing that Pasqua had wrongly fingered his own father for the Meldish murder — then changed his mind many months later.

Steven D CreaThe switch in Pasqua III's story came in June, 2015, when he learned that another Luchese mobster had been charged with the crime.

Throughout the two and a half hour session on Friday, prosecutor Scott Hartman insisted that Pasqua III was being truthful when he told the FBI that he was with his father when his dad had killed Meldish — but was somehow mistaken about what had happened that night.

Seibel sounded very skeptical. At one point she told Hartman that his theory "requires you to go fairly deep into the weeds," adding that "the obvious issue raised by the contradiction between (Pasqua III) and your entire theory of the case is, maybe he's not telling the truth."

In agreeing with lawyers Joseph DiBenedetto and Seth Ginsberg that Crea could be released on bail after spending 14 months behind bars based almost entirely on Pasqua III's sayso, Seibel stated "it would be an understatement to say that I am disappointed on how this has played out on the government's part."

"Their case for detention is certainly weaker than I was led to believe at the last bail hearing," said Seibel, noting that Pasqua III, the only government witness who links Crea to the November 2013 Meldish murder "has a lot of problems."

Joseph DiBendettoSeibel stated that "apart from his personal qualities" which include drug abuse and drug dealing arrests before and after he cooperated, as well as charges that he was an unfit parent who often beat and threatened his wife, mother and other relatives, "there are problems with his story."

In order to believe Hartman's contention that Pasqua III's original account that he was present when his father killed Meldish "was an innocent misinterpretation" of what he thought had occurred "requires you to sort of tie yourself up in knots," said Seibel.

The racketeering indictment alleges that mobster Christopher Londonio and associate Terrence Caldwell killed Meldish on November 15, 2013. But in court filings, the government states that the Pasquas were nowhere near the murder scene.

"It could be that this guy's story is wrong for all the detailed reasons the government says, wrong without being a lie," said Seibel. "But it could be that the situation is what defendants say, which is he made up a story, and he backtracked from it when he learned that somebody other than the person he falsely implicated had been charged and he became concerned that it was going to unravel."

As Gang Land reported exclusively in May, and was confirmed at Friday's bail hearing, Pasqua told the FBI that he was in a car parked on the same street where Meldish and his dad were sitting in another vehicle, when he heard what he thought was a car door slam. But he quickly realized that his dad had killed him, Pasqua III stated, when he walked back towards the car and his dad said: "It's done. And if anybody asks, say that you did it, so you get the credit for it."

Seth GinsbergUnder prodding by the judge, Hartman said his belief is that Pasqua III "reached a conclusion about what happened when he and Pasqua Jr. were there based on other things that he saw and learned afterwards, including the fact that he learned that Meldish was dead."

When Seibel asked why Pasqua Jr. would lead his son to "believe that he had killed Meldish" when he didn't, Hartman never offered an explanation. Instead, the prosecutor stated that the father never said "I killed (him)," according to the son's account.

"He said, 'It's done,'" Hartman said. "And I think it's possible that (Pasqua III) misinterpreted what Pasqua Jr. was meaning about 'it.'" The father's urging his son to take credit for "it," the prosecutor added, likely further confused the witness.

If so, the miscommunication between father and son continued for 16 months, right up until March of 2015 when Pasqua III — facing serious drug and weapons charges in Madison, Mississippi — told the FBI his original version of the murder.

Scott HartmanSeibel did not accuse Hartman of making outright misrepresentations to the Court during a Crea bail hearing in January. But the judge stated that even though the prosecutor didn't "affirmatively misrepresent" any facts, he "left out a big problem in your case arising from this witness, on whom you relied heavily."

"Don't you think (you could have told me that) when you stood up and said, 'We've got a witness who is going to say there was a meeting where the witness and Crea Jr. and Pasqua Jr. all agreed to murder Meldish?" Seibel asked.

"In retrospect," said Hartman, "I wish I had said that because it would have avoided this issue."

Seibel, who was a federal prosecutor for 21 years before being appointed to the bench in 2008, said she never wanted to be "one of those judges who says, 'Oh, when I was an assistant.'" But the judge couldn't resist tweaking Hartman and co-prosecutor Jacqueline Kelly about their prior actions to keep Crea behind bars.

"I would not have been comfortable standing up at that last bail hearing and asking me to rely on (Pasqua III's allegations linking Crea to the Meldish murder) without telling me the elephant in the room," said Seibel, adding: "I say that by way of free advice."

Frank Pasqua IIIBefore the judge issued her final ruling, veteran lawyers DiBenedetto and Ginsberg had a field day ridiculing the younger Pasqua's multiple stories, and Hartman's tortured explanation about it. Even Crea got into it.

"I'm a defense lawyer, and I've had to make some pretty attenuated difficult arguments," said Ginsberg, "but I've got to tell you, that one is just unbelievable. If they want to take that," he told Seibel, before pausing, bending down toward the seated Crea, and then continuing, "and my client is leaning over to me saying, 'Can we go to trial next week?'"

In his final words, DiBenedetto invoked Crea in a more serious tone. "There is one thing that my client wants your Honor to know," he said. "He does not know CW-1. He wants me to make that clear to this Court. My client does not know CW-1," he said, using the term that prosecutors insist on using to refer to Pasqua III, even though his identity is not a secret.

Breached And Booted, Ailing Witsec 'Rat' Hopes Mob Doesn't Find Him

Witness Protection ProgramMemo to wannabe mob turncoats: Before you flip, make sure you get everything in writing from the Witness Security Program, and your U.S. Attorney's Office. Also, make sure that you get a lawyer who's not going to forget about you when the Witsec Program cuts your funding, or worse — tells you you're on your own if the mob knocks on your door after you complain.

In a nutshell, that's what Witsec did to 67-year-old Lester Zullo two weeks ago when Gang Land detailed the plight of the former Luchese associate who was disabled when he flipped in 2001, and who helped send wiseguys Joseph (Joey Flowers) Tangorra, Eugene (Boobsie) Castelle, John (Big John) Castellucci, and others to prison, and who then barely survived a second bout with throat cancer in 2013.

On the Thursday night that Gang Land disclosed that Witsec had cut all funding for Zullo and his wife of 44 years, who is also 67 and disabled, there was a loud knock on the front door by two alleged deputy U.S. marshals from Washington. They told Mrs. Zullo to let them in because they wanted to relocate her and her husband immediately because they had been "breached."

John CastellucciThey didn't explain how the Zullos had been breached — and for the record there was no mention of where they lived in Gang Land's account, or even if Gang Land knows where they reside — they only stated that the Zullos had been "breached."

Breached is a "scary word in the program," said a former Witsec member, because it's a word that is drummed into you that means: "the mob knows where you are."

"They were banging on my door," Mrs. Zullo recalled. "They said we breached. They wanted us to leave immediately. Leave everything, and go. They said, 'We hear you're having financial problems and you want to move.' What they did to me that night was horrible. I'm sick, my husband is sick."

The loud knocks on the door came before 9 PM but by then, Zullo, who needs plenty of rest since doctors used veins and tissue from his arm to rebuild his throat during pharyngeal surgery in February 2013, was asleep, and Mrs. Zullo was adamant about not letting them in.

"They wanted us to leave that night," she said. "I said, 'My husband is sleeping. Come back tomorrow.' He said, 'No this is a one time deal. You have to leave tonight. Leave everything behind. It's tonight or never."

"What are they kidding?" continued Mrs. Zullo, who, along with her husband shares $1740 a month in disability and social security income, which covers their monthly rent of $1421, but not much more.

"Yeah, we're having financial difficulties, but we don't want to move," she said. "We need funding to get through the day. My husband is sick. He has doctors. I have doctors. We can't get up and leave. I'm gonna be 68 years old. Eighteen years ago, I was younger. I was healthy."

"I'm really at a loss how the government can just do whatever it wants and doesn't have to answer for their actions." rasped Zullo, who speaks with a mechanical voice box. "They lie and lie. And they know I just can't leave where I am so that (visit by the deputies from Washington) was just a show to cover their asses."Joseph Tangorra

This week, on Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service, which administers the Witness Security Program along with the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO) of the Department of Justice, (DOJ), dropped the other shoe on the Zullos.

"The (deputy) marshal called to tell me that he wanted to meet me tomorrow to sign a paper acknowledging that I was terminated from the program," said Zullo. "I told him, 'Save yourself the trip, I'm not signing anything.' So he says, 'Okay, just so you know, OEO terminated you.'"

Gang Land contacted Drew Wade, the chief spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service, to find out, in general terms, what it means to terminate a witness, or how and why a witness could be breached. Wade checked with higher-ups, then issued a 25-word no comment.

Zullo, who was arrested on racketeering charges in 2000 as Lester Ellis, a name he often used during his gangsters days, is searching for a lawyer in the area of the country where he now resides to file a lawsuit against the various DOJ agencies that he feels have screwed him.

He tells Gang Land that his own attorney Jeremy Gutman, who has not responded to numerous calls from Gang Land, and assistant U.S. attorney Elizabeth Geddes, who took over the case after Zullo was sentenced in 2007, and whom he thought had been acting on his behalf, have been giving him a "runaround for four years now."

Eugene CastelleGeddes did call Gang Land back, but declined to comment.

"Geddes said I breached and won't help or even talk to me," said Zullo. "We were supposed to do a three way call (with Gutman) but she just told the lawyer I'm breached and there's nothing she can do."

In past years, said Zullo, Geddes said she was speaking on his behalf to OEO. But now, "She says that they feel they don't owe me anything and she tried to go on their side and say the Witness Security Program isn't forever. And when I said, 'They promised me it was in a case like mine,' she said, 'They only funded me for so long because I was disabled and sick.'"

"I said, 'So waiting till I got cancer again and all the people I helped put away are out, and now I'm older, this is their idea of how to help someone? We gave up our family, lives and we are 'rats' as far as the mob is concerned and if possible they'd kill us if they could. If it's 50 years they don't forgive or forget. So after that she couldn't come back. She just changed the subject."

Genovese Wiseguy Snared In 21-Year-Old Cold Case Murder

John Tortora Jr.A second-generation Genovese crime family wiseguy has been charged in a 21-year-old cold case — ordering the murder of a Yonkers man who was stabbed to death following a barroom brawl in a neighborhood tavern.

Genovese soldier John (Johnny T) Tortora Jr., 61, was charged last week with racketeering and murder-for-hire charges for allegedly ordering the murder of Richard Ortiz. Prosecutors allege the killing was part of a long-running Genovese family racketeering enterprise.

In the three count racketeering indictment, Tortora is also accused of extortion, loansharking and drug dealing from 1997 to the present.

Johnny T is the son of the late John Tortora Sr., a Genovese gangster who was nailed on loansharking charges by Manhattan federal prosecutors back in 1969 when Mr. District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau was the U.S. Attorney. The younger Tortora was inducted into the crime family in 2014, sources tell Gang Land.

At his arraignment before Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein, prosecutor Jessica Fender stated that the government had evidence that Tortora ordered cohorts to kill Ortiz because Johnny T and his cronies believed that Ortiz was an informer and that he was stealing from the gangster's illegal gambling business.

Attorney Murray Richman countered that Tortora was a local businessman and longtime Yonkers resident with roots in the community who had nothing to do with any violent activity. He argued that Tortora should be released on bond pending his trial.

Gorenstein agreed with the government and ordered Tortora held without bail as a danger to the community and a flight risk. Johnny T technically faces the death penalty if convicted of the murder for hire charges, although it's unlikely the Justice Department would seek capital punishment in this case.

John Tortora Sr."My client vehemently denies these charges," said Richman. "He did not know this young man. He did not order him to be killed. He did not do it himself, or have anything to do with it," the lawyer told Gang Land, stating that unidentified government informers had "cast aspersions against my client" for their own purposes.

A few days after Ortiz, 29, was found, police arrested a convicted drug dealer named Abdill (Chino) Saez for the murder. But the charges against him were dropped in April of 1998 when prosecutors were unable to bring the case to trial, according to a 1999 report in the Journal News.

It's unclear what evidence the feds now have that ties Tortora, who is the only defendant in the case, to the killing.

But it's not his first run-in with the law: In 2001, Johnny T was indicted on racketeering charges along with Bronx-based capo Pasquale (Patsy) Parrello and dozens of other mobsters and associates. He was able to cop a plea deal to misdemeanor charges and received a sentence of probation.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Thanks Cheech.

Amazed that the charges against Crea Jnr weren’t outrightly dismissed and his father didn’t make bail.

With what we know the charges seem baseless.

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

[slimshady_007]

The meldish murder charge against Stevie Junior is a damn mess. Good gangland btw

[Pogo The Clown]

Do we know if Tortora Sr. was a made member? If so when did he die?


Thank or posting this weeks column.


Pogo

[willychichi]

Do we know if Tortora Sr. was a made member? If so when did he die?


Thank or posting this weeks column.


Pogo

Pogo, Tortora Sr. is described as a member by the Feds in this article in 2014.

https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/sto ... s/7757753/

[SonnyBlackstein]

Thanks for posting the pics SP.

An interesting point is LE are aware of a Westside making ceremony in ‘14, which is unusual for the Genovese. It indicates there MIGHT be a rat who is the basis for charges against Tortora.

[gohnjotti]

Thanks for posting the pics SP.

An interesting point is LE are aware of a Westside making ceremony in ‘14, which is unusual for the Genovese. It indicates there MIGHT be a rat who is the basis for charges against Tortora.

They were also aware of the Ralph Santiello ceremony through, IIRC, the J. Rubeo tapes.

[newera_212]

was Tangorra the guy who went crazy in jail and smeared his own shit all over himself and his cell? hes gotta be out by now...i cant imagine him being welcomed back into the fold with open arms

that Bensonhurst Lucchese crew, with the Castelle Bros, Tangorra, et. al... correct me if im wrong but that an iteration of the old 19th Hole crew? eventually ran by Chiodo? trying to figure out the succession and where these guys came from (castelle, tangorra etc...)

its really fucked up what the feds and Geddes did to that witness and his wife. disgusting actually . but in general WPP sounds like a massive money pit and drain on resources. they should literally just get rid of it going forward. you wanna snitch and get immunity / reduced sentence thats great but we shouldnt be footing the bill in perpetuity. let em keep whatever money they had, go find a job, and thats it.

[Pogo The Clown]

was Tangorra the guy who went crazy in jail and smeared his own shit all over himself and his cell? hes gotta be out by now...i cant imagine him being welcomed back into the fold with open arms

Same guy. Before that he was seen wandering the streets and babbling incoherently while waving around his latest indictment. I guess he suffered a mental breakdown after being hit with 3 major indictments inside of 6 months.

that Bensonhurst Lucchese crew, with the Castelle Bros, Tangorra, et. al... correct me if im wrong but that an iteration of the old 19th Hole crew? eventually ran by Chiodo? trying to figure out the succession and where these guys came from (castelle, tangorra etc...)

Yeah. Tangorroa took over for George Zappola (who took over for Lastorino and before him Amuso). Castelle looks to have taken over from Richard Pagliarulo (who took over from Pete Chiodo).


Pogo

[newera_212]

was Tangorra the guy who went crazy in jail and smeared his own shit all over himself and his cell? hes gotta be out by now...i cant imagine him being welcomed back into the fold with open arms

Same guy. Before that he was seen wandering the streets and babbling incoherently while waving around his latest indictment. I guess he suffered a mental breakdown after being hit with 3 major indictments inside of 6 months.

that Bensonhurst Lucchese crew, with the Castelle Bros, Tangorra, et. al... correct me if im wrong but that an iteration of the old 19th Hole crew? eventually ran by Chiodo? trying to figure out the succession and where these guys came from (castelle, tangorra etc...)

Yeah. Tangorroa took over for George Zappola (who took over for Lastorino and before him Amuso). Castelle looks to have taken over from Richard Pagliarulo (who took over from Pete Chiodo).


Pogo

thanks Pogo appreciate the info. that crew has some history.

we know recently that both castelle brothers have been up to no good, but im curious about the rest of the brooklyn lucchese . im sure its been asked before on here but wondering how active guys like lastorino, galione, george conte, etc.. are currently. time will tell I guess

[UTC]

That's Bill Bradley, not Tortora, Sr.

[HairyKnuckles]

Do we know if Tortora Sr. was a made member? If so when did he die?


Thank or posting this weeks column.


Pogo

Tortora Sr is still alive. He´s around 85 today. Lives in Yonkers. Not sure if he´s made. The article says "LE investigators describes Tortara and Carta as members of organized crime", which is a vague description. However, Tortora Sr definitely was involved with the Mafia. He was president of The Red Grove Social Club, located at 33 South Broadway in Getty Square, a club made members often frequented.

MARCH 10 1969—John Tortora, president of Red Grove Social Club, arrested on complaint by restaurant supply dealer that club refused to pay for supplies.

MARCH 14—Complainant's supply firm riddled by bullets; Police Chief William Polsen, under orders from Public Safety Commissioner Frank Vescio, closes down Red Grove Club as being "unsafe" because of file and health violations.

MARCH 17—The Herald Statesman reports that two reputed members of Mafia were present when police closed club. They were identified as Arthur (Bam) Palumbo and John (Johnny Peanuts) Manfredonio.

MARCH 19—Red Grove principals file for Injunction in Supreme Court to remove police guard from in front of closed club.

MARCH 19—Charge of third degree grand larceny against Tortora dropped when complainant pleads Fifth Amendment and refuses to prosecute.

MARCH 21—Supreme Court Judge Vincent W. Grady ruled that closing of Red Grove Club was illegal. City appeals decision; Implementation of injunction stayed.

MARCH 31—Frank Squires, officer in Red Grove Club, indicted by federal grand jury for violation of Gun Control Act. Squires pleads not guilty.

APRIL 11—Appellate Court upholds city's right to close club, but agrees that Red Grove was not given opportunity to correct violations. Orders new trial.

APRIL 24 Frank Squires arrested for failure to pay 57 traffic tickets.

APRIL 28 John Tortora, Salvatore Carta, Ben Gentile and John Ianelli arrested by FBI and charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and interfering with interstate commerce.

MAY 1- -Sal Carta, an officer in the club, arrested for assaulting girl friend.

AUGUST 12 Frank Squires, an ofiicer in the club, reported that the Red Grove had been burglarized although there Is a 24-hour police guard at the front door. Losses reportedly included cigarets, whiskey and microphones, totaling $350.

AUGUST 12- -John Tortora arrested after argument with policeman over bald tire.

AUGUST 23 Sal Carta, an officer in the club, was found shot to death in a car on Route 9 near.Montrose.

DEC. 1- -Twenty-five subpoenas to various city officials were sent out by Red Grove attorney prior to new trial before Judge P. Raymond Sirignano.

DEC. 3 Trial of Red Grove vs. City of Yonkers begins, lasts three days. Judge Sirignano promises "speedy decision."

JAN. 2 1970 Tortora freed on charge involving fracas with policeman. Case dismissed.

JAN. IS Another burglary of Red Grove reported. Cash register, two electric mixer, tape cartridges, totaling $400, reported missing.

FEB. 2 Tortora arrested on third degree assault complaint by Leo LaBarre of Yonkers, owner of transmission shop.

FEB. 4 Tortora and Squires arrested and charged with first degree arson after two detectives watch Squires set fire to interior of Red Grove.

FEB 5 Police found a 32 caliber automatic pistol sewn into the cushion of an arm chair at the Red Grove. Both Squires and Tortora arrested. Later, Tortora was imprisoned. Squires was found murdered in 1979.

Tortora was 37 years at the time (1970) and newspapers described him as "a reputed Mafia member". He can not have been made because he was way too young to have been made in the 1950s.

In a seperate investigation, Tortora Sr was indicted in January 1970, with the infamous Nick Rattenni and (Genovese soldier) and three others )n connection with loansharking activities. Tortora was given a 18 year prison term, which excludes him from being made in the 1970s when the books were being opened. (Don´t know when he was released though.)

[gohnjotti]

In a seperate investigation, Tortora Sr was indicted in January 1970, with the infamous Nick Rattenni and (Genovese soldier) and three others )n connection with loansharking activities. Tortora was given a 18 year prison term, which excludes him from being made in the 1970s when the books were being opened. (Don´t know when he was released though.)

John Tortora Sr. was released from federal prison on December 19, 1983.