Octogenarian Gangster Gets Two Years for Parole Violation
Old timer faces harsh violation. |
Joseph "Joe Desi" DeSimone, (not Anthony, as was mistakenly written) is a capo in the Queens faction who formerly worked under Phillip Giaccone. DeSimone was allegedly involved in the 1981 slayings of capos Giaccone, Dominick Trinchera and Alphonse Indelicato. Joseph was known to have been active in loansharking and extortion. DeSimone recently finished 12 years in prison for a mob hit, and his defense attorney had hoped for a wristslap four-month sentence.
Brooklyn federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis wasn't having it.
The feds pushed for two years because DeSimone was caught attending "two heavily attended Bonanno soirees in March and September of last year," the New York Post reported.
The octogenarian gangster was on supervised release at the time following a 12-year sentence for his participation in a gangland hit.
“Considering that Mr. DeSimone is almost 82 years old and suffers from a serious heart condition, the government-recommended sentence might as well be a term of life,” wrote attorney James Neville in a court filing.
The first Bonanno gathering was in Glendale, on Long Island. DeSimone met with top mobsters, including acting family boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. and consigliere Anthony Rabito, according to court papers.
A few months later, DeSimone and his high-ranking criminal cohorts convened at a Staten Island barbershop, court papers state.
As reported, the new Bonanno boss, Joseph Cammarano Jr., had moved to consolidate power, holding several capo meetings closely watched by the Feds and NYPD.
The Staten Island barbershop meeting was major: All the crime family's movers and shakers showed up. They'd called it on a Sunday because of their erroneous belief that the FBI did not work on Sundays.
As the Post noted, "Only nine months after being released from federal custody, the defendant boldly met with the leadership of the Bonanno crime family, who were also convicted felons, on more than one occasion,” the feds argued in court papers.
Prosecutors said a short four-month term “might be appropriate for one association violation that involves brushing shoulders with one member of a crime family. But that is not the case before the court.”
Garaufis slapped DeSimone with the two years behind bars — more than the harshest penalty in federal sentencing guidelines.
Judge Garaufis summarily slapped another Bonanno mobster with two years for attending the crime family's recent Christmas party. Anthony “Little Anthony” Pipitone was initially given a two-year sentence, though he may be able to wiggle out of some time. Or not. He was granted a hearing for possible re-sentencing, though Garaufis may be planning to merely toy with him over his remarks about having reformed.
DeSmond has a long history with the Bonanno crime family. In addition to his alleged participation in the 1981 triple homicide, DeSimone also was busted in January 1994 with 14 others, including Anthony Spero, then-alleged acting boss of the family. The Federal indictment in Manhattan charged the gangsters with crimes ranging from murder to extortion in what prosecutors called a lucrative gambling ring involving hundreds of small businesses that were coerced into installing and maintaining joker-poker and other gaming machines.
The Fed's have been able to get quite a few Bonanno members locked up after catching them violate parole.
A year ago, John Palazzolo, then-77, a reputed street boss of the clan’s Bronx faction, got locked up after federal law enforcement officials caught him meeting with other mobsters in violation of his parole terms.
The feds feared the old gangster was conspiring to take over Bonanno operations in Queens — which could have possibly unleashed violence as rival factions chashed.
Citing allegations of “a conspiracy to conduct a war to control the Bonanno crime family,” federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the ailing oldfella to jail pending a hearing next month.
Palazzolo, who was released in 2012 after doing 10 years for attempted murder, is barred from associating with fellow mobsters.
The Staten Island barbershop meeting was major: All the crime family's movers and shakers showed up. They'd called it on a Sunday because of their erroneous belief that the FBI did not work on Sundays.
As the Post noted, "Only nine months after being released from federal custody, the defendant boldly met with the leadership of the Bonanno crime family, who were also convicted felons, on more than one occasion,” the feds argued in court papers.
Prosecutors said a short four-month term “might be appropriate for one association violation that involves brushing shoulders with one member of a crime family. But that is not the case before the court.”
Garaufis slapped DeSimone with the two years behind bars — more than the harshest penalty in federal sentencing guidelines.
Judge Garaufis summarily slapped another Bonanno mobster with two years for attending the crime family's recent Christmas party. Anthony “Little Anthony” Pipitone was initially given a two-year sentence, though he may be able to wiggle out of some time. Or not. He was granted a hearing for possible re-sentencing, though Garaufis may be planning to merely toy with him over his remarks about having reformed.
DeSmond has a long history with the Bonanno crime family. In addition to his alleged participation in the 1981 triple homicide, DeSimone also was busted in January 1994 with 14 others, including Anthony Spero, then-alleged acting boss of the family. The Federal indictment in Manhattan charged the gangsters with crimes ranging from murder to extortion in what prosecutors called a lucrative gambling ring involving hundreds of small businesses that were coerced into installing and maintaining joker-poker and other gaming machines.
The Fed's have been able to get quite a few Bonanno members locked up after catching them violate parole.
A year ago, John Palazzolo, then-77, a reputed street boss of the clan’s Bronx faction, got locked up after federal law enforcement officials caught him meeting with other mobsters in violation of his parole terms.
The feds feared the old gangster was conspiring to take over Bonanno operations in Queens — which could have possibly unleashed violence as rival factions chashed.
Citing allegations of “a conspiracy to conduct a war to control the Bonanno crime family,” federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the ailing oldfella to jail pending a hearing next month.
Palazzolo, who was released in 2012 after doing 10 years for attempted murder, is barred from associating with fellow mobsters.
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