Feds Bust DeCavalcantes, Confirm Sicilians in Charge

10 members and associates of the New Jersey-based DeCavalcante crime family were arrested today
Surveillance image of former DeCavalcantes.

A total of 10 members and associates of the New Jersey-based DeCavalcante crime family were arrested today for running a prostitution ring, drug trafficking and plotting to kill a rival, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

The complaints confirm that the New Jersey family is run closely with the Gambinos in New York and that both have Sicilian members in leadership positions today.

Frank "Shipe" Nigro, 72, Paul "Knuckles" Colella, 68, Mario Galli, 23, and Anthony "Whitey" Stango, 33, all from New Jersey, were arrested this morning and face the bulk of the criminal charges cited in the complaints unsealed today. Also taken into custody today were Charles "Beeps" Stango, 71, of Henderson, Nevada, and John "Johnny Balls" Capozzi, 34, and Nicholas Degidio, 37, both from New Jersey.


According to the complaints, since at least as early as 2012, a law enforcement agent acting in an undercover capacity infiltrated the DeCavalcante crime family and gained the confidence of Stango and others.

Also arrested -- primarily for cocaine distribution -- were James Heeney, 35, Luigi Oliveri, 41, and Rosario Pali, 35, all of whom allegedly belong to a separate crew of the crime family.

All defendants arrested in New Jersey were scheduled to appear Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court. Charles Stango was scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe in federal court in Las Vegas.

Charles Stango, a capo, and son Anthony allegedly planned to operate a high-end escort service targeting white-collar businessmen and professionals. The plan called for establishing a legal nightclub to serve as a front. Galli also was involved.


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Nigro and Colella were charged along with Charles Stango for plotting to murder a rival member also living in New Jersey, authorities said. Charles Stango allegedly sought and received permission from Nigro, the family’s consiglieri, and other high-ranking members.

Colella’s role was to obtain permission for the planned hit, which Charles Stango discussed with an undercover agent. Two outlaw bikers were allegedly hired to commit the murder.

Ironically, the target (not named in the complaints) was a made member of the DeCavalcante crime family who had voiced a belief that an undercover agent had infiltrated the family. On December 15, 2014, in Las Vegas, Stango told the undercover agent that the intended target had insulted an acting boss of the crime family at a social gathering. There was also a dispute regarding whether the intended target had gotten his button properly.

Stango added that he thought the other member was "out of control" and that he "had to meet death."

"Milk, Milk [referring to the family's street boss who was not charged in this case] his whole f**kin', Milk's family was the root of the tree. Oh he started this whole thing. [lt's been around a while now]. See his uncle the underboss of consiglieres since the beginning of time. They come right from Sicily to here.

"This is Sii- ... okay this proves he's the oldest crew in the country. They start, they originated the five families. Okay? And now we run under the f**kin' Gambinos."

Stango wanted the undercover agent to maim the target or find someone to do it. "You gotta maim him or you just gotta put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life or somebody's gotta get a f**kin ' jar of acid and throw it in his f**kin' face ... "

When the agent asked Stango how the crime family's administration would react if the man were killed, Stango said: "Listen I don't give a f**k. If he gone gone I'll see ya later. They might give you fifty medals. They might give us fifty medals ... whatever happens it came from me."

"[B]ut this guy has to get maimed. He ain't gotta get killed... I wanna blow him up" and that "this gotta be ended. This gotta be ended alright? And I don't want you there. No way around it."

Then, in February, Stango seemed to give permission for a hit.

Charles Stango: You know the mindset you had and still have?

Undercover agent: Yeah.

CS: Ok. That's the one they got and I got. Ok?

UC: Ok. Good. Ok.

CS: Alright, you understand?

UC: Yeah.

Several times from Dec. 12, 2014, to March 9, 2015, Stango and various conspirators were recorded on video and audio conducting drug transactions with an undercover law enforcement officer.

Anthony Stango, Galli, Capozzi and Degidio were involved with the cocaine ring, according to the complaints.

Heeney and Pali were recorded selling cocaine to undercover agents between Aug. 29, 2012, and March 14, 2013. The two received cash and counterfeit goods for the drugs.

Oliveri was charged with possession of contraband cigarettes. He'd purchased multiple cases of untaxed cigarettes from undercover law enforcement officers between June 6, 2013, and Nov. 6, 2013.

New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said the arrests were a signal that the mob continues to operate in New Jersey.

“As today’s complaint shows, members and associates of a long-standing organized crime family continue to ply their illegal trade, selling dangerous drugs and illegal cigarettes, promoting prostitution and threatening to settle internal scores with violence and death,” he said.

The crime family operates closely with New York's Gambino crime family, according to the FBI. Also, both the Gambino and DeCavalcante families are run by Sicilians, Stango confirmed in conversation with the agent.

"Milk, Milk [referring to the family's street boss who was not charged in this case] his whole f**kin', Milk's family was the root of the tree. Oh he started this whole thing. [lt's been around a while now]. See his uncle the underboss of consiglieres since the beginning of time. They come right from Sicily to here.

"This is Sii- ... okay this proves he's the oldest crew in the country. They start, they originated the five families. Okay? And now we run under the f**kin' Gambinos."


Comments

  1. Good story Cant believe this guys dealt with a outsider they didnt know was a undercover.

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  2. Undercover agent? We have another Brasco/Falcone thing going on?

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  3. Sam the Plumber, whom the Decavalcante Family is named after is rolling over in his grave right about now. How low can they go!

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  4. Vinny Ocean in the pic up top? The Plumber is definitely rolling in his grave

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  5. Yeah.....i liked it so I used it.....

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  6. Wasn't it Sam, though, who was bugged in the 60s, talking a whole stream of crap about other bosses?

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  7. Greed and easy money was the reason the UC
    infiltrated here. Somebody did.nt do there homework and the UC probably used them youngsters here before hitting his mark. Should be interesting to see who rolls. Philly

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  8. I know one guy who might turn is the attended target. How lucky he is with the UC getting the orders to do the Jobhe was more protected than the President after that Lol.Philly

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  9. Ed would it be safe to say heeney oliveri and pali work for the Sicilian side of the family or am miss interpreting that

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  10. I think it's good strategy to have zips run the families these days, Philly.

    ~Mick from Jersey

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  11. Ed didn't you post an article a few months ago regarding the Decavalcantes gaining power again and making a bunch a new guys? This article seems to confirm that in a way. If Uncle Sam is investing in undercover agents to infiltrate Donnie B. Style then it's safe to assume they're gaining momentum.

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  12. Yep. I'm hoping I get some callbacks for my follow-up story to this.

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  13. I truefully think they have been in top positions for the last ten or twelve yrs and stayed under the radar thus far.

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  14. U see the problem here a guy speaks his peace at social gathering disrespects a underboss cause they had words. Now they want him whacked and he was correct somebody did infiltrate the family. So fuck.em all let.em all rot for there egos getting in the way as usual. Thats why this thing of theres will never get fixed because there egos cloud the proper decisions fevisions to be made. Philly

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  15. Clemenza u seen Charlie Stanga no u won.t see him no more. Lol Philly

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  16. Never heard that, but it doesn't mean it didn't happen, but Sam was known as a gentleman and a real diplomat, so it more than likely not the same guy your talking about, I think that was after Sam, sounds like John Riggi, the boss after Sam.

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  17. I read Vinny Ocean he was discovered in Houston under the name Vincent "Cabella" and sold his house and ran. Wonder where he is now..

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  18. Yes Sam was recorded talking about the Commission I believe... But he was definetly recorded.

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  19. There is no more Gambino's The Commission has changed.

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  20. "Milk" is Frank Guarraci's ( the acting boss) nickname.

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  21. Wasn't he targeted (partially at least) because he thought the agent was indeed an agent?

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  22. Interested to hear about how Milk's ancestors apparently started the five families

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  23. Question here is was it he who brought him in or someone else and the article makes it sound like he was telling someone that he believed there was a UC and the boss and maybe Charlie Stango did.nt want to hear that. Just assuming here.philly

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  24. No more Gambinos? Ok lol

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  25. If they "maimed" him, wouldn't he most likely flip? He wouldn't accept life in a wheelchair without trying to get some sort of revenge would he?

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  26. It's been published, the transcripts. They've also been condensed in a book, Sam the Plumber....

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  27. "Now we run under the Gambinos."--Charles Stango, aka "Beeps"

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  28. Sam the Plumber was used by Bonnano as a go between with the commission after it was known that Bonnano and Profaci wanted to kill Gambino and Lucchese. The guy who tipped off Gambino was Colombo. That's how Colombo became a boss.

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  29. Ed, I'm thinking this undercover operation got cut short because the undercover was gonna make his bones which he can't do. Plotting to kill someone is different than actually killing someone, just the same as planning on running a high end escort service through a gentlemens club that doesn't exist. It doesn't carry the same time. The only solid charges here are the drug charges it seems. This just might be another weak government case that was cut short because the UC couldn't keep his charade going being he was tapped to kill someone. Some good lawyering up can get everyone some decent plea deals in my opinion.

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  30. The 'make your bones' rule should still be number 1. The feds can fake earning through crime but they can't send an agent on a hit. 3 times now undercovers have been brought out after violence escalated and would blow their cover. Violence weeds out the agents from the real wannabes.

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  31. Yes, everything was only in the planned stages. They sold the drugs -- to undercover feds! And the cigarette charge??? I was like, WTF?

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  32. So many phone calls recorded ...... whatever happened to not talking on the phone?

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  33. Is there any word on why and when the family's Ribera social club in elizabeth closed down? It wasn't that long ago it was still open and it was there for decades. It's now a pizza joint I think

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  34. It moved its on Palmer street. Been there for a few years now.

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  35. Sicilians running things is the only way this thing stays alive. But u think that they would learn letting fbi infilitrate. Firsyt staino in philly and this jersey thing. U only do business with people u know

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  36. im suprised the fbi wont stage a hit to let the agents make their bones.

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  37. Your right about the Sicilian thing, you won't see another joe massino as long as their in charge. And honestly, the FBI could have made big jack. I guess The bloomingdales incident derailed that but I think he still could have been made. And he makes a good point in his book, if the FBI would leave them in long enough to get made they could then vouch for other agents, meet other made guys and build a case that could bring everyone down. They just don't want their guy getting done like pisci in good fellas.

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  38. No, that was ATF I think - they have more balls!!

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  39. I actually touched on that Old School

    http://www.cosanostranews.com/2014/12/new-yorks-four-crime-families.html

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  40. Thanks for the update baccacalupo

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  41. who is the "pete" the guy they wanted to whack

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