Nine Gangsters Charged in Operation King Gone Southeast Side Drug Probe

Eight individuals, all suspected members or associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (ALKN) street gang, operating primarily on Chicago’s southeast side and northwest Indiana, were arrested today by agents and officers assigned to the FBI’s Joint Task Force on Gangs, culminating a nearly two-year investigation which targeted illicit drug sales. One additional defendant remains at-large and is now the subject of a nationwide manhunt.

The arrests were announced today by Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Terry G. Hillard, interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

Four of those arrested were charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, which was unsealed earlier today and which charged the current Chicago residents with conspiracy and distribution of a controlled substance, both of which are felony offenses. Five others were charged with violating state drug or firearms laws in charges filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

The federal complaint identifies PAUL JASSO, also known as “Guero,” age 42, of 9708 South Ewing in Chicago, as a ranking member of the ALKN who headed up an independent drug distribution operation that distributed user quantities of illegal narcotics, primarily powder cocaine, in various Chicago neighborhoods, including the Bush, Hegewisch, and the East Side, along with Calumet City, Illinois and Hammond and Whiting, Indiana.

PAULINO BOSANKO, age 23, of 13243 South Brandon in Chicago; and SANDRA BARRON, age 38, and DAVID RUIZ, age 52, both of 9832 South Avenue L in Chicago, were also charged along with JASSO, and are identified as confederates in his drug operation.

Those arrested on state charges, all of who are alleged to have worked for JASSO, are identified as JOSEPH BARRON, age 27, of 8357 South Baltimore, Chicago; JOSEF NERI, age 28, of 8357 South Baltimore, Chicago; CHARLES SCHILL, age 20, 10517 South Green Bay Avenue, Chicago; and LORETTA FLORES, age 44, of 787 Buffalo, Calumet City, Illinois.

A fifth state defendant, identified as EDWIN TEVENAL, Jr., age 30, of 10849 South Avenue H, Chicago, avoided capture and remains at-large.

This investigation, which was code named Operation King Gone, was investigated by the Chicago FBI’s Joint Task Force on Gangs, which is comprised of FBI special agents and officers from the Chicago Police Department, Gang Investigations Unit, and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office also assisted with the investigation.

Investigators utilized court authorized electronic surveillance of several telephones, used by the defendants in connection with their drug operation, along with controlled purchases of illegal narcotics, both of which helped lead to the filing of the charges announced today. During the course of the investigation, eight weapons were recovered.

All of those arrested on federal charges are scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow in Chicago, at 3:00 p.m. today, at which time they will be formally charged. If convicted of the charges filed against them, all four face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ incarceration to a maximum of life in prison.

Those arrested on state charges are scheduled to appear in bond court at dates and times to be determined. If convicted, they face possible sentences of up to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

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Using Sulphuric Acid in Mob Murders

Forensic scientists this month cast doubt on the claim by some Mafia members that they’ve used sulphuric acid to dissolve the corpses of their victims in less than a half hour.

Massimo Grillo, of the University of Palermo, in Italy, told fellow attendees at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences that Mafia songbirds had given testimony like the following, reports ScienceNews: “We put the people in acid. In 15, 20 minutes they were no more—they became a liquid.” Indeed, tanks of acid have been found at Mafia hideouts, and they had supposedly been used to dispose of the bodies of victims.

It’s unclear, however, whether prospective targets of the Mafia should take comfort from the work Grillo was reporting on. Lab tests, using pig carcasses, showed that sulfuric acid plus water could dissolve muscle and cartilage within 12 hours. It took an additional two days to turn bone to dust.

The upshot seems to be that it’s more or less true that the mafia can make you literally disappear. But there may be some residual dust left, and it will take longer than you may have heard.

Thanks to Christopher Shea

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The Mafia Boss Game Beta 1.0 Now Open to All Players

While 2010 proved to be a stellar year for The Mafia Boss, the longest running online multiplayer mafia game, 2011 promises to be even better. Over the next few months, exciting new features will be launched that both diehard fans and newbies will appreciate. The Mafia Boss' brand new Beta version has recently completed its testing phase and is now available to all players; they can log in to play the current ongoing rounds which are both "Public" and "Turbo" rounds. The beta can be easily accessed without having to create a new account or do multiple logins.

Larbi Belrhiti, Founder and Managing Director of Just Fun Softwares Ltd. which produces The Mafia Boss, knows 2011 is going to be the game's best year ever.

"Judging from how well the game did last year and what's in store for our players over the next few months, we know that 2011 will be an amazing year," Belrhiti said. "We ended last year, with 100,000 active players and 34,000 Facebook fans. Collectively, those players and fans have won about 55 million credits, made 16 million attacks, and earned over $94,000 in cash jackpots," he said.

The Mafia Boss Beta 1.0 also features a Protection Program, which was designed to protect new players from experienced looters on the platform. All new players that join the game actually start under the Protection Program.

"The new Protection Program enables players to learn the game quickly and stay protected from other players' attacks," said Santosh Kumar, Marketing Manager, Just Fun Softwares Ltd. "It's a great feature that will help people build up their Mafioso skills and remain in the game longer; this is an essential step on a player's path towards worldwide domination as a mafia don!"

The Protection Program Breakdown
The Mafia Boss Protection Program will buffer new players from the cruel Mafioso underworld so they can get up to speed. Once they've learned the ropes, however, the game's a crime spree free-for-all.

Here are the specifics of the Protection Program:

• During a hit, players can't get attached or attack other players
• At the bank players can't transfer money or receive transfers
• Players aren't allowed to travel to another city
• Players aren't ranked
• Player can't use more than 5,000 turns in total scouting
• Player can't use more than 5,000 turns in total collecting
• Player can't use more than 5,000 turns in total producing

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