Patrick DeFilippo

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Patrick "Patty From the Bronx" DeFilippo (b. 1939) is a reputed high-ranking member of the Bonanno crime family.[1]

Contents

[edit] Bonanno Member

Accoring to US prosecutors and Mob expert Jerry Capeci, Patrick DeFilippo has been a longtime member of the Bonanno crime family. An inducted member since the 1970s and reputedly promoted to Caporegime or Captain sometime in the 1980s under reputed family leaders Philip "Rusty" Rastelli and Joseph "Big Joe" Massino, DeFilippo's early illegal activities included profiting from labor and construction racketeering, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling, and bookmaking.[2]

[edit] Bonanno Rivalry

Reportedly a Bronx faction leader of the Bonanno crime family since the 1980s, DeFilippo was also an associate of infamous captain Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, whom he supported during the rivalry which began developing inside the Bonanno crime family. While Napolitano and Joseph Massino became the family's top leaders in 1981 by eliminating three renegade captains Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, Philip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera at the same time, DeFilippo was considered an ally of both Napolitano and Massino.[3]

While in the 1990s operating illegal poker machines in the Bronx faction along with reputed soldier Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, Massino became the absolute powerhouse in the Bonanno crime family and reportedly brought the family back in the Commission.

[edit] Murdering Sciascia

However, in the late 1990s, reputed Capo Gerlando Sciascia reportedly began "back talking" Massino and subsequently complained about Massino's leaderhsip over the Bonanno crime family. On March 18, 1999, Sciascia was found shot to death in the Bronx and US authorities believed that the hit was unsanctioned, as they targeted DeFilippo as the main conspirator in Sciascia's murder. However, according to Jerry Capeci and US prosecutors, the hit was ordered by Massino, due to Sciascia's constant complaining about fellow capo and Massino's friend, Anthony "T.G." Graziano, whom Sciascia saw to get out of the way. Accordingly, Massino had ordered Sciascia to meet with DeFilippo at a sitdown in the Bronx, where they supposedly were to talk about Graziano, however, at the sitdown Sciascia was shot and killed by DeFilippo and soldier John Joseph Spirito.[4]

[edit] Indictments and Prison

On August 14, 2003, US law enforcement picked up dozens of members of the Bonanno crime family, charging them with everything from labor and construction racketeering, to extortion and loansharking, to murder and conspiracy. Massino, Underboss Salvatore Vitale and DeFilippo were amongst the ones indicted. DeFilippo was charged with ordering the murder of Gerlando Sciascia in 1999 on behalf of Massino, in addition to federal racketeering charges, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and conspiracy to commit murder charges. While Massino's Underboss Vitale soon became an informant, after several Capos had agreed to become informants as well. While Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano stepped up as the family's acting boss during the indictments, he reputedly requested Massino for killing his old mentor DeFilippo while meeting in his lawyer's office, saying he wanted to "jocko" DeFilippo, which the US authorities identified as a code for "kill".[5] However, what Basciano didn't know, was that Massino had also agreed to turn state's evidence, as he wore a wire during the entire sitdown with Basciano, who was soon arrested and indicted for murder and conspiracy. While DeFilippo was undergoing his trial, his acting capo Salvatore "Sal the Ironworker" Montagna quickly rose to acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, as Basciano was convicted and put behind bars. DeFilippo, who was charged with ordering two murders in addition to racketeering charges, was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to 35 years in prison.[6]

As of April, 2008, DeFilippo is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Terre Haute, Indiana. His projected release-date is June 25, 2038, effectively a life sentence.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wiseguy Looks To Old Boss For Help
  2. ^ USA v. Massino et al CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:03-cr-00929-NGG-ALL
  3. ^ Wiseguy Looks To Old Boss For Help
  4. ^ Dark Day For Joe Massino & Peter Gotti
  5. ^ Wiseguy Looks To Old Boss For Help
  6. ^ Former Salon Owner Is Convicted of Racketeering, but Not Murder - New York Times
  7. ^ Federal Bureau of Prisons

[edit] External links