Nevertheless, Merlino gained notoriety as a flamboyant, celebrity gangster who often went out partying with a large entourage. “Better than the death penalty.” A month after the verdict, Merlino was indicted in federal court again for the 1996 murder of Joseph Sodano, despite a jury finding the murder charge “not proven” as a RICO predicate act. But they can also be arrogant, short-tempered, hasty, traitorous. A year out of prison, Joseph Salvatore “Skinny Joey” Merlino isn’t so skinny anymore. On December 3, 2001 Judge Herbert J. Hutton gave Merlino a 14-year prison sentence. Natale named Michael Ciancaglini, Steven Mazzone, George Borgesi, Gaetano “Tommy Horsehead” Scafidi and Martin Angelina as Merlino’s key associates and co-conspirators in the plan. Commenting on his conviction, “Ain’t bad,” Merlino said. Merlino was acquitted all of three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, however, was found guilty of racketeering charges including extortion, bookmaking and receiving stolen property. To avoid a retrial, Merlino entered into a plea deal with federal prosecutors on April 27. “He liked to go out. As of 2015, Merlino divides his time between south Florida and Philadelphia. The trial concluded after two weeks of testimony. Following Natale’s arrest for parole violation in 1999, Merlino officially took over the crime family, cutting off Natale.On June 28, 1999, Merlino was indicted and detained without bail on one charge of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and one charge of unlawful use of a communication facility in relation to a drug trafficking offense. With the help of informant Ralph Natale, Merlino was convicted of several RICO charges including racketeering, illegal gambling and extortion, in 2001, and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
While Joey was in jail, cocaine dealer, Billy Rinnick, was found during a police raid hiding under Joey’s wife Deborah’s bed. Merlino was friends with Steve “Gorilla” Mondevergine, president of the Pagans MC motorcycle club. “Joey was a party guy,” said mob associate Ron Previte, a police officer-turned gangster-turned government witness. The charges were later expanded to include racketeering and ordering or approving three murders and two attempted murders. Merlino refused any plea offer and went to trial on January 30, 2018. In November 1993, Merlino was arrested by the FBI, charged with violation of his supervised release, and sent back to prison.Stanfa was arrested for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act violations in March 1994, was convicted in 1995, and sentenced to life in 1996. Since his release from prison in 2011, the FBI and organized crime reporters believe he continues to run the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mafia.
Famous Details is the source for must-know facts of your favorite celebrities and famous people. Joseph Salvatore "Skinny Joey" Merlino (born March 16, 1962) is the former boss of the Philadelphia Crime Family from 1994 to 1999, with mobster Ralph Natale as front boss, and was said to have led the family primarily in extortion, bookmaking, illegal gambling, hijacking, drug trafficking, and loan sharking. Their strengths are tolerant, loyal, valiant, courageous, trustworthy, intelligent, and virtuous. Merlino was also accused of taking part in a massive medical fraud scheme in Florida that had doctors prescribe patients with unnecessary (and ineffective) medical products and billing patients’ insurance companies. But he looks almost as boyish at 50 as at 39, when he was sentenced to 14 years in prison for racketeering. In August 1984 he was banned by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission from New Jersey casinos. On January 4, 2015, just before his parole restrictions expired, Judge Richard Barclay Surrick gave Merlino a four-month prison sentence for violating his supervised release by meeting with organized crime figures in Florida. Three years later, Merlino was put on trial for helping orchestrate the murder, but was acquitted.By the late 1990s, Merlino dodged more than two dozen attempts on his life. He liked the high life.” He invited TV crews to his annual Christmas party for the homeless, and was a fixture at the city’s nightclubs, restaurants, and sporting events. If you found this page interesting or useful, please share it. In 2001, Rinick was busted in his underwear during a drug raid at Joey and Deborah’s South Philly townhouse, three days after Joey was sentenced to 14 years in prison for racketeering. The prosecution’s case was aided by several of Merlino’s former Mafia cohorts agreeing to cooperate with the government. In October 2019, Merlino was granted and early release and moved to a halfway house in to finish the rest of his sentence., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA Natale agreed to cooperate in order to escape drug trafficking charges in 1999. Merlino was released from prison in April 1992.In an attempt to quell further violence, Stanfa officially inducted Merlino and his best friend Michael Ciancaglini into the crime family. https://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article83109357.html There were precisely 724 full moons after his birth to this day.Joey Merlino was born on a Friday. In March 1998, Anthony Turra, on trial on charges of plotting to kill Merlino, was shot dead outside his home by a gunman in a black ski mask. Their lucky numbers are 1, 3, 4, and lucky colors are grey, blue, white, orange.Joey Merlino was born in the middle of Baby Boomers Generation. He was quoted in the interview stating “I want no part of that” and that there were “too many rats.” In November 2014, Merlino opened a restaurant in Boca Raton named On August 4, 2016, Merlino was one of 46 people arrested up and down the east coast in a RICO indictment. On September 17, 1993, a friend of Merlino’s was shot and killed by Stanfa gunmen. Along with his longtime buddies and future mobsters, he was known to beat up people, rob people, and start fights in clubs.On October 31, 1989, Nicky, Jr., the son of imprisoned Philadelphia family boss Nicky Scarfo, Sr., was shot in an Italian restaurant in Bella Vista.