Thursday, October 11, 2012

The Jersey crew


The Jersey crew

The Jersey Crew
In
Founded by
Years active
1920s–present
Territory
Ethnicity
Membership
50 made members, 200 associates approx [1]
Criminal activities
Allies
Rivals
Various gangs over NJ, including their allies

The Jersey Crew is a powerful faction of the Lucchese crime family, that operates and controls illegal activities like drug trafficking, labor racketeering, loansharking, extortion, illegal gambling, money laundering, and murder, in the Northern New Jersey area.

Early history
Prohibition era
The Jersey Crew was allegedly being recognized as a criminal organization upon the foundation of the Commission in 1931, after the murders of the two most powerful mob bosses in New York City, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano. The crew were recognized as bootleggers under Gaetano "Tom" Reina in the early 1920s, as they worked throughout the Prohibition with smuggling of alcohol into New York City. After the meeting in Atlantic City in 1931, when Thomas Gagliano and Tommy Lucchese were chosen as bosses of the old Reina crime family, the New Jersey Crew came under the wings of the Bronx faction leaders.
Expanding the crew
Toward the 1940s and early 1950s, the New Jersey Crew expanded their operations through their legitimate businesses. The crew had since 1931 been under the control of Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese, the Underboss of the Gagliano crime family, and the crew kept operating from Bergen County through Essex, Morris, Passaic and Union counties, all the way to Sussex County. Upon the death of longtime Boss Thomas Gagliano, Tommy Lucchese was soon installed as boss of the family, which was renamed the Lucchese crime family. The crew were then headed by several of their high-ranking members, like prominent New Jersey mobsters Settimo Accardi, Anthony "Ham" Delasco, and Joseph Abate from Newark. As the time of the Joseph Abate regime as leader was ending Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo, who was chosen to become the new leader to the crew. Accetturo had a good friendship with Lucchese caporegime Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo and was put in charge of the crews entire illegal gambling and loansharking operation in Newark, the crew had a new unofficial leader.
Accetturo in charge
Toward the 1970s, the crew were unofficially headed by Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo, because Accetturo wasn't yet inducted into the Lucchese crime family, due to "closed books". The leader of the crew was still Joseph Abate, while Anthony Accetturo was his protégé waiting to take over the crew.[2] The Jersey Crew then came to control the entire Newark area, with loansharking, illegal gambling, narcotics, money laundering and extortion operations. Reportedly, with Accetturo in charge of the crew, they handed something between $70,000 and $80,000 a year to Tommy Lucchese. Upon Lucchese's death in 1967, and several years of different "acting bosses" as Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti and Ettore "Eddie" Coco, until the year of 1973, when Anthony Corallo was released from prison, and quickly installed as boss. Corallo, a longtime friend of Accetturo, quickly inducted Accetturo and his second in commands Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta and Martin Taccetta into the Lucchese crime family, so they could officially control the entire New Jersey area.
Accetturo and Taccetta
During the early 1970s, Accetturo relocated to Miami to avoid prosecution for his illegal gambling and loansharking business in Newark, and Michael Taccetta was soon promoted by Accetturo to run the day-to-day activities. Accetturo even created illegal operations in Florida where he could lie low from law enforcement. Taccetta soon expanded Accetturo's former operations in New Jersey, as the crew grew stronger, and several members of the Lucchese crime family in New York were sent to aid the moneymakers over the bridge, as Taccetta developed an operation that soon controlled the entire New Jersey area. From arson and burglary, to loansharking and extortion, to illegal gambling and drug trafficking, the Jersey Crew soon made millions of dollars in profit, and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars back to Anthony Corallo in New York City for years. Both Accetturo and Taccetta soon became the most powerful mobsters in New Jersey. Accetturo would then suffer from several indictments, following the State of New Jersey's try to extradite Accetturo, but failed due to his poor health. Accetturo later relocated his business interests to Miami and Hollywood, Florida, but still remained the official boss of New Jersey. Michael Taccetta was chosen once again to run the Northern New Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family, during the mid 1970s. Toward the late 1970s, the crew allegedly earned something between $700,000 and $800,000 in profit every year.

Operating in Philadelphia
In 1980, the longtime Don of the Philadelphia crime family, Angelo "Gentle Don" Bruno, was shot and killed on March 12, resulting in a huge power vacuum between prominent Bruno members Philip Testa and Nicodemo Scarfo, both fighting for the total control of the Bruno crime family. Accetturo and Taccetta, on the other hand, used their situation to establish a new foothold in Philadelphia, as a part of the Jersey Crew, with illegal gambling and loansharking operations. Unfortunately, because of the bad relations between the two factions in Philadelphia's crime family, as well as both Taccetta and Accetturo taking advantage of the situation, the relationship between Philadelphia and the New York Families, especially the Luccheses, eventually turned worse after the murder of Angelo Bruno, which led to all cooperation between the families being completely terminated. It was around this time that prominent Bruno member Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio, and many others, defected to the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family to make more profit and to avoid being killed.
21 months in trial
During the early 1980s, US law enforcement started an operation to determinate all organized crime activities in the North Jersey area, as a four-year-long investigation was finally announced, and indictments were brought up toward 20 members of the Jersey Crew.[3] Accetturo was brought from Florida, the Taccetta brothers were arrested in Newark, and 17 other known members were put on trial for 76 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) predicates, which included loansharking, extortion, racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering, drug trafficking, arson and thefts, as well as murder and conspiracy to commit murder. In late 1986 and early 1987, the trial first began. During the trial, former member of the Philadelphia crime family Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio fired his lawyer and went on to represent himself during the entire trial. Although not popular with Accetturo and Taccetta, DiNorscio is reported to have charmed the jury, as the trial ended in 1988 with the acquittal of all 20 defendants. The prosecutors were stunned, as the Jersey Crew went right back where they left off.[3]

The Taccetta era
As the trial ended with all defendants acquitted in 1988, the authorities eventually managed to split up the Jersey Crew, as Michael Taccetta grew jealous on Anthony Accetturo, Jr., who was said to take over for Anthony Accetturo on his eventual retirement. The Taccetta brothers reportedly claimed war on Accetturo, who had escaped to Miami to avoid being killed. Although the war never got to a point of massive shooting in the streets, the two factions were close to killing and destroying each other completely in late 1988. But the crew had other problems, as the Lucchese crime family was given new leadership, when Vittorio "Vic" Amuso stepped up after Corallo.
New York rivalry
Toward the year of 1989, the Jersey Crew's war position had eventually declined, as the two factions were more interested in making money than who was in charge. The new leaders were reportedly Michael Taccetta and Martin Taccetta, who operated through their legitimate business, Taccetta Group Enterprises, which was under control by the Lucchese crime family. Through the company, the Jersey Crew were able to launder money and pay their tribute to the heads of the Luccheses in New York, but as Anthony Corallo was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987, and his protegé Anthony "Buddy" Luongo was found murdered earlier, the new bosses Victor Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, known for their brutal use of violence, questioned the profit they received from the Jersey Crew. Apparently, both Accetturo and Taccetta had skimmed off the profit and only sent a $50,000-a-year payment to the new leaders from the Brooklyn faction. When they demanded 50% of the crew's total profit, both Taccetta and Accetturo reportedly refused, portraying themselves as hard-working money machines that were only having a bad year. Amuso and Casso, on the other hand, saw this as an act of weakness, and gave the order to "Whack Jersey", meaning that the entire North Jersey faction should be eliminated. Summoned to a meeting in Brooklyn with Victor Amuso and Anthony Casso, the entire North Jersey faction, who were fearful of being massacred, went into hiding, disrupting their illegal activities. Over the next 12 months, most of the New Jersey crew members came back to the family. Amuso is to have portrayed Accetturo as a distrustful servant who was betraying his boss, as Taccetta reportedly is to have sent messages to Amuso in Brooklyn, asking for a contract to be placed on Accetturo's life, so Taccetta could control the entire New Jersey faction.

Taccetta's arrest and trial
Upon the murder-contract Taccetta had put on his life, Accetturo had been placed under federal protection, as he was extradited from North Carolina to New Jersey. During this time, Accetturo had little power in the Jersey Crew, as Amuso had reportedly stripped his rank and demoted him to soldier. The Taccetta brothers also had problems, as their longtime rival Thomas Ricciardi was ready to step up and take control over the North Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family in the early 1990s, but as everything looked to bring a new war to the streets, Accetturo, the Taccetta brothers and Ricciardi were put on trial for racketeering, loansharking, extortion, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, murder and conspiracy to commit murder. As the entire crew's administration was put on trial in 1992, Ricciardi decided to defect to the government and turn state's evidence in the beginning of the trial, and eventually testify against Martin and Michael Taccetta. Although Michael Taccetta was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1993, his brother Martin was acquitted on the murder charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison, as he can be paroled in 2016. Ricciardi went into the Witness Protection Program, and revealed that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case in 1988 ended the way it did because the jury had been rigged.


2007 indictment
Chart of the 2007 "Operation Heat" capos Joseph DiNapoli, Matthew Madonna, Ralph V. Perna and Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr.
On December 18, 2007, New Jersey law enforcement indicted and arrested 32 members and associates of the Lucchese crime family. In a year-long investigation titled "Operation Heat" law enforcement agencies uncovered a $2.2 billion dollar illegal gambling, money laundering and racketeering ring from New Jersey to Costa Rica.[4] Two members of the Lucchese family three man ruling panel were indicted Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna, top New Jersey Faction capos Ralph V. Perna and Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr.. Others indicted included members Alphonse Cataldo, Martin "Marty" Taccetta (brother of Michael Taccetta), and associates Frank Cetta, Antonio Russo, Joseph M. Perna and John G. Perna, Ralph M. Perna (all three are sons of Ralph Perna),[5] John Mangrella, Gary Medure, Samuel Juliano, Michael Maffucci, Gianni Iacovo, Robert Romano, James Furfaro Jr., John Turi, George Maiorano, Michael A. Cetta, Charles J. Bologna, Elliot Porco, Shptim Hani, Blerim Ibriami, Michael Ramuno III and two female associates Roseanne Perna (wife of Joseph Perna) and Vita Cetta.[6][7]
The investigation also uncovered that Lucchese family members had aligned with members of a Bloods street gang set "Nine Trey Gangsters" to smuggle heroin, cocaine, marijuana and cell phones into East Jersey State Prison with corrupt prison guards. The prison corruption involved Lucchese associates Joseph Perna and Michael Cetta with gang members Edwin Spears, Dwayne Spears, Francine Higtower, Kristine Gilliam, and Michael Bruinton.[8]
Current position
Although the Jersey Crew is much weakened due to increased law enforcement and internal rivalry, Michael Taccetta, at age 60, is reported as the official boss of the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family, though he is serving a prison term without the possibility of parole. Upon his release, Martin Taccetta is reportedly ready to take over as the Boss of North Jersey. The crew is estimated to have between 20 to 30 made members, and twice as many associates. Still, after prosecution, the Jersey Crew remains a strong faction of the Lucchese crime family, operating with illegal activities mostly in Newark.

Historical leadership of the Lucchese's New Jersey faction
A leading capo in the faction is chosen as boss to supervise the other capos. However, this rank of boss carries little power in New York as the family leadership still views him as just a capo.[2]
·         1920s–1930 – Gaetano "Tom" Reina (controlled the New Jersey Faction from his Bronx base; involved in transporting bootleg alcohol and whiskey into NYC; murdered on February 26, 1930 during the Castellammarese War by the Masseria faction.)
·         1930–1953 – Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese (Underboss he over saw the faction actives and operations he received profits from the faction; Lucchese was promoted to Boss of the family in 1953 and moved to Long Island)
·         1940s–1955 – Settimo "Big Sam" Accardi (became the leading member of the New Jersey faction operating from his Newark Crew; promoted to Boss/Capo of the entire New Jersey faction after Lucchese became the Boss in 1953; Accardi worked with rival Elizabeth, NJ family boss Sefano Badami; in 1953 his citizenship was revoked; arrested on narcotics charges in 1955 and fled the country)[2]
·         1955–1960s – Anthony "Ham" Delasco (became the Boss/Capo of the Jersey Faction; Anthony Accetturo became his driver and protégé shaking down bookies and loan-sharks for Delasco; he died sometime in 1960s)[2]
·         1960s-1979 - Joseph Abate (became the Boss/Capo of the Jersey Faction; took over the Newark crew after the death of Delasco; semi-retired in 1979 leaving Accetturo in charge of the Crew; died naturally in 1994, age 92)[9][10][11]
·         1970s-1988 - Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo (allegedly in charge of a crew in his early 20s, while working with Anthony Delasco as his driver and protégé; continued to work for the Jersey faction under Joseph Abate he was finally inducted by 1976; took over as Acting Boss in 1979; relocated to Florida during the late 1970s early 1980s and set up rackets; acquitted in the 21-month trial along with other Jersey faction members on August 26, 1988; in 1987 was stripped of Capo his rank demoted to a soldier; tension between Accetturo and Taccetta almost started a war; was threatened to be murdered in 1993 Accetturo defected and became an informant)[12][13][14][15]
o    Acting 1980s-1988 - Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta (Michael had his own hierarchy with Michael Perna as underboss and his brother Martin Taccetta as Consigliere they controlled the entire Jersey Crew of the Lucchese family)
·         1988–present – Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta (served as the acting leader for Accetturo; acquitted in the 21-month trial along with other Jersey faction members on August 26, 1988 and became the official leader of the Jersey faction late 1988; almost started a war with Accetturo; Michael set up some rackets in Philadelphia in the early 1990s; in 1993 was convicted to life in prison along with his brother Martin and Michael Perna with help from testimony of Thomas Ricciardi and Anthony Accetturo; Michael stayed the official leader of Jersey Faction).[13][14][16]
o    Acting 2005-2007 – Martin "Marty" Taccetta (released from prison in 2005 due to lack of evidence in his 1993 trial; took over again with help from Ralph Perna; On July 30, 2009 the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed lower court decision that granted him his release and reinstated his life sentence for racketeering and extortion)[17][18]
o    Acting 2007–present - Ralph Vito Perna (the 63 year was released from prison in 2006; is serving as Acting Boss/Capo on behalf of Michael Taccetta)[19][20][21]

Current faction leaders
The Lucchese family's New Jersey faction operates in Newark's Down Neck section and Northern Jersey counties of Essex, Union, Morris, Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Sussex.[1][2] In the faction also has rackets in Florida, South Jersey and Philadelphia.
·         Boss/Capo Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta - Capo of the Jersey crew and boss of the entire New Jersey faction of the Lucchese family. Longtime rival of Victor Amuso. Currently serving life in prison for conspiracy charges and drug trafficking.[22][23][24] His younger brother Martin Taccetta was reportedly the acting boss of the Jersey Crew until he was sent back to prison.
·         Acting Boss/Capo Ralph Vito Perna - longtime Jersey faction member, released from prison in 2006 [25] and took over as acting faction leader in 2007. Perna was arrested in December 2007 with Joseph DiNapoli, Matthew Madonna two members of the family's ruling committee. The Jersey crew was involved with running a gambling operation that earned approximately $2.2 billion in a 15-month period. The crew also worked with New Jersey correction officers and members of the Nine Trey Gangster, a set in the Bloods gang. The crew would use gang members to smuggle drugs and pre-paid cell phones into New Jersey state prisons.[4][21]
Capos
·         Robert "Bucky the Boss" Caravaggio - Capo in the Jersey Crew who oversees operations in the northern New Jersey, especially Morris County. Caravaggio also worked with Carlo Taccetta.[1]
·         Joseph "Joey" Giampa - Capo in the Jersey Crew. Giampa has a stepson named Gennaro Vittorio, a.k.a. Gerry Giampa who is also involved in organized crime.[26][27]
·         Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr. - Capo operating in the South Jersey-Philadelphia area,[28] he is the son of former Philadelphia family boss Nicodemo Scarfo. He was a soldier in the Scarfo family, until his fathers arrest in the mid-1990s, he then joined the Lucchese family with his fathers help. There are rumors that Scarfo is trying to take over the Philadelphia family.[29][30]
Soldiers
·         Alfonso T. "Tic" Cataldo - a soldier in the Lucchese family running illegal gambling operations in northern New Jersey. He is working with Eurasian organized crime groups. Cataldo was arrested in December 2007 on charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and racketeering charges along with two members of the Lucchese ruling panel Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna.[8][31]
·         (In prison) Michael J. Perna - soldier and former Capo in the Jersey faction; he began working for the Lucchese families Jersey faction sometime in 1976; by the 1980s was serving as the Underboss of the Jersey Faction for Michael Taccetta; acquitted in the 21 month trail along with other Jersey faction members on August 26, 1988; in 1993 was convicted of gambling and extortion along with Michael and Martin Taccetta with the testimony of Thomas Ricciardi and Anthony Accetturo; relatives include his father Joseph Perna, younger brother Ralph; The 67 year-old is currently imprisoned at the Federal Correction Institution at Fairton, New Jersey his projected release date is August 2, 2015.[32][33][34][35][36]
·         (In prison) Martin Taccetta - soldier and former Capo in the Jersey Crew was released from prison in 2005 due to lack of evidence in his trial, and wrongfully being accused of murder charges in his older brother Michael Taccetta's trial in 1993. On July 30, 2009 the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed lower court decision that granted Taccetta release and reinstated Martin life sentence for racketeering and extortion.[18][37]
Sub-groups
The Jersey Faction have several sub-groups
·         In Miami and Hollywood Florida started by Anthony Accetturo in the late 1970s.
·         In Philadelphia started by Michael Taccetta in the 1980s.
Former Jersey crew members
·         Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio (former Philadelphia crime family member changed to join Lucchese crime family in 1980's)
·         Thomas "Tommy Boy" Ricciardi (soldier; 1993 turned FBI informant)
·         Vincent "Jimmy" Craparotta (Lucchese family associate; killed 1993)[38]
Popular culture
·         The 2006 Sidney Lumet film Find Me Guilty chronicles the 2-year trial of Accetturo, the Taccetta brothers and the other family members. Vin Diesel stars as Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio who defends himself.
·         According to the Crime Library website, the Jersey Crew is the main inspiration of the DiMeo crime family in the HBO TV-show The Sopranos. Michael Taccetta is probably the inspiration to the leading role of Tony Soprano, as other real-life Jersey crew members can be recognized on the screen.[39]
References
1.      ^ a b c d The Changing Face of Organized Crime in New Jersey - A Status Report(May 2004)State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation
2.      ^ a b c d e DeVico, Peter J. The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra. Tate Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-60247-254-8 (pg.161-162)
3.      ^ a b Rudolph, Robert. The Boys from New Jersey: How the Mob Beat the Feds. 1992 [1]
5.      ^ New York Times: 'Alarming Alliance' of Mafia and Street Gang Is Broken Up by David W. Chen and David Kocieniewski (December 19, 2007) New York Times
9.      ^ "Headliners; Is It So, Joe?" New York Times April 26, 1992
10.  ^ "New Jersey Paper Cites Abate Articles" New York Times April 25, 1992
11.  ^ "Candidate Drops Denial That Father Was in Mafia" By ADAM NAGOURNEY New York Times April 30, 1998
12.  ^ "The Gangster Next Door" By Larry Keller Sun Sentinel.com September 24, 1989
13.  ^ a b "ALL 20 ACQUITTED IN JERSEY MOB CASE" By JESUS RANGEL New York Times August 27, 1988
14.  ^ a b "Mob informant's role in Seton probe" New Jersey.com July 08, 2003
15.  ^ "Opportunity knocks, and he answers" BY GUY STERLING, ROBERT RUDOLPH AND MARK MUELLER Star-Ledger July 23, 2003
16.  ^ "2 Top New Jersey Crime Figures Admit Juror Bribery in U.S. Trials" By CHARLES STRUM New York Times September 21, 1993
17.  ^ "Reputed crime family underboss summoned to court in Newark" BY PETER J. SAMPSON The Record Thursday, December 10, 2009
19.  ^ "Names of those charged in $2.2B gambling ring" by Claire Heininger Tuesday, December 18, 2007
20.  ^ "Ralph Perna" Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator
28.  ^ Bob Ingle, Sandy McClure. The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption. (pg.272) [2]

No comments:

Post a Comment