Gang Land News 6 October 2022

[chin_gigante]

'Make Sure There's No Cameras!' After He Failed To Whack Sally Daz, Bloods Leader Bushawn Shelton Got A Crucial Lift Home From His Wife

The wife of Bloods leader Bushawn (Shelz) Shelton was not far from the scene of the initial botched hit attempt on Bonanno family associate Sylvester (Sally Daz) Zottola. And she was ready, willing and did pick him up and take him home when he was stranded in The Bronx without a car to make his own way home, Gang Land has learned.

The vehicle used by the hit team had crashed, and Shelton was stranded in the Bronx after he tried but failed to kill Sally Daz in November 2017 allegedly on behalf of Zottola's son, Anthony, according to court testimony at his murder-for-hire trial.

The gang's first assassination attempt on Sally Daz took place as their target was driving on the Throgs Neck Expressway. That day, Takeisha (Kay) Shelton was waiting for her hubby about 25 minutes away when she got a call from her hubby after Sally Daz outfoxed the hit team and escaped, according to trial testimony and texts between the Sheltons on November 26, 2017.

But Mrs. Shelton, who had texted her location on Bruckner Boulevard to Shelton minutes before the failed hit attempt, used Google Maps to retrieve Shelton in Edgewater Park after he fled on foot when the hit team's van crashed on a service road, according to testimony at the trial of Anthony Zottola and Bloods members Himen (Ace) Ross and Alfred (Aloe) Lopez.

Prosecutors have accused Takeisha Shelton in court of being an un-indicted co-conspirator in the murder-for-hire conspiracy, but Mrs. Shelton, despite the references to her actions on November 26, 2017, and the testimony about it during the trial, has never been charged with any involvement in the murder-for-hire plot or any wrongdoing in connection with it.

Prosecutors say 11 months later, after an attempted murder of Sylvester Zottola's son Salvatore and several more efforts by Shelton's underlings to whack Sally Daz had failed, Ross and Lopez used a GPS tracking device to follow Sally Daz to a McDonald's drive through in the Bronx and kill him.

Before bringing up the back and forth texts and conversations between Shelton and his wife – they were married on October 10, 2009 – and introducing them into evidence, prosecutor Kayla Bensing got case agent Michael Zoufal to focus on their importance in the murder-for-hire plot to kill Sally Daz and his son Salvatore.

"Please remind the jurors," she said, "what happened on November 26th of 2017."

"Sylvester Zottola was cut off by a van" as he drove along the Throgs Neck Expressway and was then approached by a gunman who "got out of the van" and "pointed the firearm at him," said Zoufal. But before he could pull the trigger, "Sylvester Zottola was able to reverse his car out and maneuver away," the agent testified.

The jury learned that a little more than two hours earlier, at 12:59 PM, Shelton texted his wife to find out where she was parked and instructed her to make sure it was a good location without video cameras and with a quick and easy route to get out of The Bronx from the following texts:

Shelton: Baby, can you double check to make sure that there's no cameras where you are parked. Will I be seen getting in?

Takeisha: I'm going to try to park where I was before at the end.
Shelton: Oh, you not there? Yeah, even if you are facing the highway, it's good.
Takeisha: No, I'm in the middle but not in front of the cameras. It looks like they facing the traffic direction.
Shelton: I just want to get in without cameras. You just tell me where you at, and I'll go.
Takeisha: Okay. I'm going to look now and double-check.
Shelton: I'll find you a better spot. Just send me the address. Send it to me like I sent you mine that time.
Takeisha: What you do, shared it?
Shelton: Yes. You go to Maps and tap the blue dot. That's — that shows where you're at. Then it says Share my location. Click that. Don't make it mad difficult to get to. LOL.
Takeisha: I will say this is a good thing I moved because the corner had a big-ass camera.
Shelton: Okay. So you good now? 2717 Bruckner Boulevard, Bronx, New York. How far are you from here?
Takeisha: I'm heading towards Bruckner. Everywhere have cam.
Shelton: Even the address I gave you?
Takeisha: Yes.

At 2:26, after Shelz and Kay have spoken to each other a few times following their earlier texts — what they said to each other on those and later calls was not recorded and is unknown — Shelton responds "Yes" to a text query from Takeisha: "See me on Google Maps with a link?"

Zoufal testified that at 3:14 PM, three minutes after a masked gunman confronted Sally Daz — prosecutors say DNA found on the discarded mask shows it was Shelton — the couple has several quick phone calls, and exchange several additional texts before Shelton texts his location to his wife on Google Maps:

Takeisha: On my way.
Shelton: How long?
Takeisha: Five minutes.

After Takeisha and Bushawn Shelton exchanged a few more harried phone calls, Anthony Zottola, who had by then heard about the attempted rubout from his father, texted Shelton in previously reported dialogue that likens the failed rubout to a movie scene.

AZ: How we looking with the filming? They've gotten real cold over here. I hope you can get the actor to work.
BS: I just heard that the costar got into it with the director about 15 minutes ago, and they had to call security.
AZ: That is why we need to get the final scene before the star doesn't come back. I need this bad. That is why I'm asking to, because I can see the film taking a twist. Got to figure out a way quick, you think?
BS: Today was set to be the end finally until the actor wanted to do his own stunts and throw it in reverse in the middle of shooting a scene and driving the opposite direction.
AZ: Okay. But we can still do the end, I hope?
BS: Yes, of course.

And in newly disclosed texts that Zoufal and Bensing stated aloud in court as the jurors in Brooklyn Federal Court could also read the words on a monitor, Zottola, who prosecutors say was then using a different phone, offered to drive to The Bronx to rescue Shelton as they continue discussing the failed hit against Sally Daz:

Shelton: It got crazy, baby.
Zottola: Call me SMH.
Shelton: I can't now, but I had to hide. Gnat police driving around low key, looking.
Zottola: So come here. But wait, what? Hide? What?
Shelton: I'm waiting for Kay to come. I can't talk. Someone might hear me. The car I had, I had to dump it.
Zottola: SMH, not doing this through text.
Shelton: You right. I'm just trying to keep my mind occupied. How was your day?
Zottola: I want to know you're okay. Long and don't want to discuss.
Shelton: Aren't we going to have a long conversation tomorrow? LOL.
Zottola: LOL. I do not want to know/do anything except knowing you good. No.
Shelton: Okay. Got it.
Zottola: Talk to me. How far is Kay?
Shelton: I don't know. I can't call her.
Zottola: SMH.
Shelton: But I sent her my location on Google Maps.
Zottola: I'll come. She's probably closer.
Shelton: That's what I thought.
Zottola: LOL. Yeah.

Prosecutors subpoenaed Takeisha Shelton to testify before a grand jury investigating the murder-for-hire plot to kill the father and son Zottolas after her husband was arrested on October 11, 2018. But the government withdrew the subpoena after she cited her lawful marital privilege against testifying against her husband in a motion to quash it.

In court filings, prosecutors say that on two occasions Mrs. Shelton told authorities that one of the phones the FBI seized from her husband was hers and sought its return. The feds, noting that "the phone was used by Bushawn Shelton and it contained several incriminating communications between Shelton and Anthony Zottola that were exchanged shortly after Sylvester Zottola's murder on October 4, 2018," never returned it to her.

Mob Boss Takes A Shot In The Dark For A Worthy Cause

It's not likely that any Bonanno crime family mobsters will show up for the Shot In The Dark golf outing to raise money to upgrade the 24-hour emergency room at St. Joseph's Hospital in Bethpage in two weeks. But we wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of them donate more than a few bucks to the hospital's annual fund-raising effort.

Worthy causes aside, they've got another excellent reason to dig deep into their pockets: Family boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso is one of the folks doing the asking, Gang Land has learned.

Mancuso is not only helping to lead the drive to raise funds for the 203-bed Long Island hospital, he'll even be working the October 18th event at the Muttonwood Country Club in East Norwich alongside his "significant other," Laura Keller, another event booster, according to his lawyer.

For readers unfamiliar with Shot in the Dark golf outings, they have been used for decades to raise funds for numerous worthy causes, including programs trying to cure and/or prevent blindness and help folks who suffer from debilitating eye problems.

For Mancuso, it will be a welcome break from other concerns. The mob boss is awaiting a final disposition on a violation of supervised release (VOSR) charge for associating with wiseguys from the Bonanno and Colombo families last year — a big no-no under the rules which proscribe him from meeting with any known felons.

Crime family members know their chieftain is not looking to make that situation any worse than it is by having any "friends" of his show up. As it is, Mikey Nose is already facing a possible five to 11 months in prison for hanging out with other goodfellas.

Mancuso, who was released from prison in 2019 after serving a 15 year sentence for the gangland-style slaying of a mob associate, was nailed for the VOSR in March, just two days before his three years of supervised release were slated to end. He was charged with meeting Bonanno soldier John (Bazoo) Ragano and two Colombo mobsters between August of 2020 and June of last year.

Mancuso, 67, was released on a $500,000 bond that permits him to travel on Long Island. But his plans to work at the golf outing became an issue last week when his next court date, at which he expects to plead guilty, was scheduled for the day of the golf outing, according to attorney Stacey Richman.

In a court filing, Richman wrote that Mancuso had agreed to admit associating "with persons engaged in criminal activity." But she asked Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis to adjourn the session, noting that assistant U.S. attorney Michael Gibaldi had "no objection" to postponing the proceeding.

Keller, Mancuso's paramour, is the owner of RealEyes Optical, Inc. in New Hyde Park, and has donated her time and money to St. Joseph fundraisers in prior years, Richman wrote. This year she donated $27,000 in eyewear for the golf outing, is one of the sponsors of the golf outing and she needs Mancuso's help that day, the lawyer wrote.

That's because she recently underwent surgery and will need assistance getting around during the all-day event, Richman wrote. Mancuso will be with Keller "working the event" that begins with registration and breakfast at 8AM and concludes with a 7PM dinner and presentation of prizes for the winners of several "contests" during the day.

The event includes contests for putting and for the longest drive of the day on a par 5 hole. There are also four Hole in One contests for men and women with prizes of $10,000 in cash, an NFL away game package and several vacations for two, according to the website for the Shot in the Dark outing.

Keller showed her support, and then some, for Mancuso when he was arraigned on the VOSR charge. When former Daily News reporter Noah Goldberg tried to question Mikey Nose and took his photo outside the courthouse, the newsman wrote, she snapped, "Don’t you have something better to do?"

Prosecution Witness Dott Komm Gets Shaky On The Stand When Pressed About His Internet Research

Kalik (Dott Komm) McFarlane, the second and last member of the murder-for-hire plot to take the stand in the Sally Daz murder trial testified this week about several failed rubout attempts in which he took part. His testimony echoed much of what the jury heard from Ron Cabey, the first cooperating witness in the case who testified two weeks ago. But unlike Cabey, McFarlane didn't fare too well on cross examination.

McFarlane and Cabey took part in several of the same botched rubout attempts against Sally Daz. But the roads they took from street gang thugs to the plot to kill Daz and his son Salvatore and then on to the witness stand in Brooklyn Federal Court were dramatically different.

Cabey, 35, the key snitch in the case, flipped in September of 2018. He obtained a cooperation agreement with the feds and pleaded guilty the following month. McFarlane, 40, was indicted in 2018. He proferred with the feds and tried and to obtain a cooperation agreement, but they werent buying. He was unable to obtain a deal until this past summer, according to his testimony on Tuesday.

Dott Komm, a moniker he gave himself when he was locked up because he thought folks would embrace him for his internet nickname, testified that he and a cohort named Jonathan (Giovanni) Jackson set out to kill Sally Daz in front of his Bronx home in early 2018. The duo decided to put it off because there were too many people around at the time.

That was Jackson's last chance. He was killed by a gang rival in March. After that, with the blessings of Bloods leader Bushawn (Shelz) Shelton, McFarlane went on a solo effort to whack Sally Daz. That also failed, he testified. He then hooked up as the wheelman for several failed rubout efforts with Cabey, including the one in June of 2018 when Sally Daz pegged a shot at Cabey, whose gun misfired.

His troubles on cross examination began with his reaction to the first question that the attorney for Himen (Ace) Ross, Elizabeth Macedonio was preparing to ask him about the "numerous times" he had met with FBI case Agent Michael Zoufal on his way to the witness stand.

"Not numerous," he said. "Probably one or two times.
Q. That's it? One or two times?
A. Maybe three.

He then said he couldn't recall how many times he met with Zoufal. After he was shown several documents of interviews he'd had with Zoufal, Dott Komm McFarlane owned up to meeting "lots of times" with the G-man, whom he conceded calling "belligerent."

Under questioning by Macedonio, McFarlane admitted that before he was arrested in the murder-for-hire plot, he had lied to prosecutors with the Brooklyn District Attorney's about his crimes while cooperating with them in two murder cases. He acknowledged too that he had initially lied to authorities in the murder-for-hire case while trying to obtain the cooperation agreement that took him four years to win.

McFarlane testified that while he was in the car with Shelton he heard someone who sounded "like he had an Italian accent. Like Italian, like a Soprano, Goodfellas, one of those." He heard the Italian-sounding man tell Shelton in the phone call that the killing "needs to be done fast." Defense attorney Henry Mazurek accused him of concocting that story in order to win a cooperation agreement.

The defense lawyer got McFarlane to admit that after he learned that the murder victim was "an Italian guy" named Zottola on the day of the murder, he used Google to research the case. That was "just in case something happened to you, right?" said Mazurek.

A Possibly.
Q And then something did happen to you. On December 18th of 2018, you got arrested.
A Yes.
Q For that same murder-for-hire conspiracy.
A Yes.
Q Now, you had a lot more information at that point in time than you did before; right?
A You could say so.
Q You had the name of the person, and you knew a little bit about the Zottola family" and learned about "allegations of the Italian Mafia" and "illegal gambling?"
A Yes.

Mazurek used that admission, along with additional concessions by the shaky witness to argue that McFarlane had used information he learned about Zottola's mob connections and gambling business that he received from the feds as discovery material to help him win a cooperation agreement against his client, and a 5K1 letter seeking a lenient sentence that he desperately wanted.

Q And is it fair to say, sir, that that agreement is the most important thing in your life right now?
A Yes.
Q Your only way out, sir, was cooperation with the Government; right?
A Yes.
Q You were asked on direct towards the end of Ms. Bensing's direct questioning of you (if ) your cooperation evolved over time. Do you remember that question?
A Yes.
Q And you said, I believe, that: Yeah, I became more truthful; right?
A Yes.
Q Your cooperation, sir, evolved to make sure that you were in the best position possible to get that 5K1 letter, isn't that right?
A Correct.

Surprise End-Of-Summer Contest

One reader correctly named four of the Luchese wiseguys meeting with mobster Anthony Villani in an NYC park back in May of 2020. Two others named three in Gang Land's Surprise End-Of Summer contest that was featured in our September 22 column. Our first prize winner named from left to right Andrew DiSimone, Michael (Big Mike) DeSantis, Villani, Anthony (Bowat) Baratta and George (Georgie Neck) Zappola. Our two second place winners each tabbed DiSimone, DeSantis and Zappola.

None of them knew that the outdoor get together took place at Jefferson Park in East Harlem or that the seated mobster was capo Frank (Skinny Frank) Salerno.

We'll be contacting the winners starting today, and announce them in two weeks, on October 20.

That's because we're taking a much needed slide next week. We'll be back with real stuff about organized crime in two weeks.

[chin_gigante]

Called it:

Might be someone we don't have any recent photographs of like Anthony Baratta

Interesting that Salerno is a captain now. Perhaps he took over Crea Jr's crew.

[TommyGambino]

Not the sharpest are they so many high ranking members meeting in broad daylight

[JohnnyS]

Thanks for posting.

Bowat off the shelf now Crea is out of the picture.

[OcSleeper]

Called it:

Might be someone we don't have any recent photographs of like Anthony Baratta

Interesting that Salerno is a captain now. Perhaps he took over Crea Jr's crew.

Did you send that in for the contest?

[DonPeppino386]

Not the sharpest are they so many high ranking members meeting in broad daylight

Agreed! I couldnt believe it when I saw the photo. Just out in the open in 2022 like they dont have a care in the world.

[DonPeppino386]

'Make Sure There's No Cameras!' After He Failed To Whack Sally Daz, Bloods Leader Bushawn Shelton Got A Crucial Lift Home From His Wife

Thanks for posting this weeks column chin!

[Amershire_Ed]

Thanks for posting

[Pmac2]

I mean that picture from may 2020. I take bowatts the guy we see the hat on and back of his head long white hair. He's hot to be pushing 90

[Pmac2]

Maybe 85 still in the life in a circle jerk of convicted murders I just find that funny . Fucking probably have 20 murders responsible fromt he guys in the picture. Nuts in this day an age

[SonnyBlackstein]

Thanks chin, and great call on Bowat.

You'd think he's replaced Dellorusso as UB. Can't see a reason for him to be there unless he's a Capo or management. Either he's Villani's skipper or admin, one would assume.

[Little_Al1991]

It was in East Harlem, should have known it was Bowat.
Bowat’s done more than 20 years in prison but was taken of the shelf when Mikey DeSantis asked him if he wanted to come back during 2017.
There’s just something about that life which they can’t stay away from…

[SonnyBlackstein]

It was in East Harlem, should have known it was Bowat.
Bowat’s done more than 20 years in prison but was taken of the shelf when Mikey DeSantis asked him if he wanted to come back during 2017.
There’s just something about that life which they can’t stay away from…

Baratta is 84. Released in 2012.

[Little_Al1991]

Thanks chin, and great call on Bowat.

You'd think he's replaced Dellorusso as UB. Can't see a reason for him to be there unless he's a Capo or management. Either he's Villani's skipper or admin, one would assume.

Pennisi hinted that Frankie Bones Papagni is the new UB but Bowat is someone who definitely deserves that position.He formerly had it in an acting capacity when Vic and Gas went on the run.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Thanks chin, and great call on Bowat.

You'd think he's replaced Dellorusso as UB. Can't see a reason for him to be there unless he's a Capo or management. Either he's Villani's skipper or admin, one would assume.

Pennisi hinted that Frankie Bones Papagni is the new UB but Bowat is someone who definitely deserves that position.He formerly had it in an acting capacity when Vic and Gas went on the run.

Pagani, Georgie Neck & Bowat. Getting the band back together.

Bowat would likely be a Capo (at least) if he was at this meet you'd assume.