A man dubbed the “Incognito Bandit” has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for armed bank robbery.
Albert Taderera, 36, of Brighton, was indicted for the Oct. 7, 2016 robbery of a branch of the TD Bank in Wayland, Mass. In March 2017, Taderera was arrested at Dulles International Airport in Virginia as he attempted to board an international flight, and charged in U.S. District Court in Boston by criminal complaint.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the US sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; William Ferrara, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Wayland Police Chief Robert Irving; and Concord Police Chief Joseph F. O’Connor, made the announcement today. The Wayland Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
Monday, June 05, 2017
Warring Hispanic Gangs Leads to Increase in Shootings and Unified Law Enforcement Response
Arturo Marcial-Alvarez’s face was covered with a blue bandanna and he had a stolen revolver in his waistband when he was intercepted by two King County sheriff’s detectives in February as he got off a Metro bus.
The detectives, who were also on the bus, noticed him reaching for his waist while glaring at another man who was stepping off the coach, court records say. “Looks like we just missed some gang stuff,” one detective texted the other before they arrested the 19-year-old for carrying a concealed pistol, according to court records.
Whether the detectives thwarted a shooting by arresting Marcial-Alvarez will likely never be known. Two months after his release from jail, Marcial-Alvarez, who police called an “avowed” gang member, was fatally shot at a bus stop in Federal Way on April 11.
Police say he was a targeted victim of a war between rival Hispanic gangs that detectives trace to the January shooting death of Manuel Ortiz, 18, over the defacing of gang graffiti near his Burien apartment.
Although it’s impossible to pin down a single reason for the recent violence, the conflict goes much deeper than spray paint on concrete, according to Sgt. Cindi West, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff’s Office. “Sometimes it’s something as simple as somebody’s girlfriend went out with somebody from a different gang. Generally it’s not one specific thing that starts it off. It’s usually a combination of things over time and then it escalates,” West said.
There have been at least 14 homicides, dozens of injury shootings and scores of shots-fired calls believed to be connected to gang disputes from Seattle to South King County since the beginning of the year, said Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell. “I’m very concerned about this heating up in the summer months. I’m very concerned about the high-caliber weaponry that’s being recovered (by police),” Ferrell said. “It’s why we’re linking up arms regionally and addressing this in a comprehensive way.”
The spate of gang violence has prompted a unified response from the Sheriff’s Office, Seattle police, federal law-enforcement agencies and police across South King County, which have teamed up to share information and resources. Two gang-emphasis operations — one in late April and the other in mid-May — focused on gang hot spots and led to the arrests of alleged gang members on warrants for crimes like unlawful possession of a firearm and armed robbery, according to West and other law-enforcement sources.
In May, Ferrell and Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus convened a meeting with police and city leaders from Algona, Burien, Des Moines, Kent, Pacific, Renton, SeaTac and Tukwila to create a strategy to address rising gun and gang violence, with Seattle police and the Sheriff’s Office also sending representatives. The group is scheduled to meet again in mid-June. “This is tragically about these people in these gang rivalries clinging to these concepts of respect and disrespect as justifications for homicide,” said Ferrell, a former King County deputy prosecutor. “People are just baffled. It seems so nonsensical that lives would be taken over these seemingly meaningless disputes.”
The present conflict appears to be somewhat different in that a handful of Hispanic gangs have aligned to do battle with two or three others, sources say.
“We have a lot of information about different groups that would not traditionally be at war with each other who are crossing traditional alliances,” said Rafael Padilla, Kent’s assistant police chief. “People who normally get along aren’t.”
The violence, which has stretched from South Seattle through South King County, hit a peak in April with numerous shootings before quieting down in recent weeks after the police intervention. “When the heat is on, they know to lie low for a little while,” Padilla said of the recent lull. “We’re bracing right now.”
Meanwhile, police are also dealing with longstanding disputes among members of Seattle’s rival black street gangs in the Central District and Rainier Valley that continue to spill over into communities south of the city.
One victim of the violence is Clemden Jimerson, who survived a gang shooting near Garfield High School on Halloween 2008 that killed 15-year-old Quincy Coleman. Jimerson, 24, a member of a Central District gang, was fatally shot in the head in Renton last month, Padilla said.
No arrests have been made.
“The willingness of people to pull out guns and start shooting seems far more common than it used to be,” Padilla said.
Something else that’s becoming frighteningly common is the use of assault-style rifles with large-caliber rounds and high-capacity magazines, which are inflicting far more damage, according to Padilla and others. Seattle police are seeing the same kind of firepower in a spate of gang-related shootings since the first of the year.
In the days before he was shot and killed Jan. 3, Manuel Ortiz engaged in angry back-and-forth phone calls and social-media messages about disrespect being shown his gang through crossed-out graffiti, according to the charges filed against his alleged killer.
Ernesto Josue Rios-Andrade, 17, a rival gang member from Tukwila, was hanging out with two other juveniles at a Burien food mart when they crossed paths with Ortiz, who lived at the apartment building next door, say the charges. The two got into an argument over “graffiti disrespect,” and Rios-Andrade shot Ortiz with a .380-caliber handgun, according to charging papers.
King County prosecutors charged Rios-Andrade — also known as Joshua Rios — as an adult with second-degree murder.
Detectives say the killing of Ortiz touched off the recent uptick in violence between Hispanic gangs, often resulting in deadly retribution.
In Federal Way, Marcial-Alvarez was gunned down at a bus stop at South Dash Point Road and Pacific Highway South just before 4:30 p.m. April 11.
Around 1 a.m. April 12, 21-year-old Erasmo Plata was killed in Burien, a shooting that law-enforcement sources say was in retaliation for Marcial-Alvarez’s death. Later that night, someone opened fire on a house in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood associated with a gang that is aligned with Plata’s gang, court records show.
The house is “a known gang and narcotics location,” a sheriff’s detective wrote in a search warrant early last month. Seattle police responded to another shooting there in March, where they collected 22 shell casings, according to a police report.
A week after Marcial-Alvarez was killed, police arrested two suspects in connection with his death — Miguel Bejar, 21, and a 15-year-old boy prosecutors are seeking to have charged as an adult, court records show. Both are charged with first-degree murder.
Additionally, prosecutors have charged Alondra “Mama Pepa” Garcia-Garcia, 20, with rendering criminal assistance as the driver of the minivan that carried Bejar and the juvenile to and from the intersection where Marcial-Alvarez died, according to charging papers.
While the juvenile defendant denied being in a gang, Bejar told a police detective he is a gang member and described the ongoing dispute between his gang and Marcial-Alvarez’s gang, say the charges.
“Before the end of 2017, there’s going to be a lot of dead gangsters,” Bejar told police, according to charging papers.
Noting the youth of many of the shooters and victims embroiled in the recent gang war, Padilla, the Kent assistant police chief, said a coalition of social-service providers recently met to discuss gang-prevention strategies and ways to help parents whose kids have experienced extreme trauma — like witnessing a loved one overdose or get shot.
“When it (trauma) goes untreated, it often manifests in extreme violence,” Padilla said. “In a way, it’s amazing how advanced these gang members are, out on the streets, doing the hustle. They’ve had to grow up so much faster than my kid.”
Thanks to Sara Jean Green.
The detectives, who were also on the bus, noticed him reaching for his waist while glaring at another man who was stepping off the coach, court records say. “Looks like we just missed some gang stuff,” one detective texted the other before they arrested the 19-year-old for carrying a concealed pistol, according to court records.
Whether the detectives thwarted a shooting by arresting Marcial-Alvarez will likely never be known. Two months after his release from jail, Marcial-Alvarez, who police called an “avowed” gang member, was fatally shot at a bus stop in Federal Way on April 11.
Police say he was a targeted victim of a war between rival Hispanic gangs that detectives trace to the January shooting death of Manuel Ortiz, 18, over the defacing of gang graffiti near his Burien apartment.
Although it’s impossible to pin down a single reason for the recent violence, the conflict goes much deeper than spray paint on concrete, according to Sgt. Cindi West, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff’s Office. “Sometimes it’s something as simple as somebody’s girlfriend went out with somebody from a different gang. Generally it’s not one specific thing that starts it off. It’s usually a combination of things over time and then it escalates,” West said.
There have been at least 14 homicides, dozens of injury shootings and scores of shots-fired calls believed to be connected to gang disputes from Seattle to South King County since the beginning of the year, said Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell. “I’m very concerned about this heating up in the summer months. I’m very concerned about the high-caliber weaponry that’s being recovered (by police),” Ferrell said. “It’s why we’re linking up arms regionally and addressing this in a comprehensive way.”
The spate of gang violence has prompted a unified response from the Sheriff’s Office, Seattle police, federal law-enforcement agencies and police across South King County, which have teamed up to share information and resources. Two gang-emphasis operations — one in late April and the other in mid-May — focused on gang hot spots and led to the arrests of alleged gang members on warrants for crimes like unlawful possession of a firearm and armed robbery, according to West and other law-enforcement sources.
In May, Ferrell and Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus convened a meeting with police and city leaders from Algona, Burien, Des Moines, Kent, Pacific, Renton, SeaTac and Tukwila to create a strategy to address rising gun and gang violence, with Seattle police and the Sheriff’s Office also sending representatives. The group is scheduled to meet again in mid-June. “This is tragically about these people in these gang rivalries clinging to these concepts of respect and disrespect as justifications for homicide,” said Ferrell, a former King County deputy prosecutor. “People are just baffled. It seems so nonsensical that lives would be taken over these seemingly meaningless disputes.”
The present conflict appears to be somewhat different in that a handful of Hispanic gangs have aligned to do battle with two or three others, sources say.
“We have a lot of information about different groups that would not traditionally be at war with each other who are crossing traditional alliances,” said Rafael Padilla, Kent’s assistant police chief. “People who normally get along aren’t.”
The violence, which has stretched from South Seattle through South King County, hit a peak in April with numerous shootings before quieting down in recent weeks after the police intervention. “When the heat is on, they know to lie low for a little while,” Padilla said of the recent lull. “We’re bracing right now.”
Meanwhile, police are also dealing with longstanding disputes among members of Seattle’s rival black street gangs in the Central District and Rainier Valley that continue to spill over into communities south of the city.
One victim of the violence is Clemden Jimerson, who survived a gang shooting near Garfield High School on Halloween 2008 that killed 15-year-old Quincy Coleman. Jimerson, 24, a member of a Central District gang, was fatally shot in the head in Renton last month, Padilla said.
No arrests have been made.
“The willingness of people to pull out guns and start shooting seems far more common than it used to be,” Padilla said.
Something else that’s becoming frighteningly common is the use of assault-style rifles with large-caliber rounds and high-capacity magazines, which are inflicting far more damage, according to Padilla and others. Seattle police are seeing the same kind of firepower in a spate of gang-related shootings since the first of the year.
In the days before he was shot and killed Jan. 3, Manuel Ortiz engaged in angry back-and-forth phone calls and social-media messages about disrespect being shown his gang through crossed-out graffiti, according to the charges filed against his alleged killer.
Ernesto Josue Rios-Andrade, 17, a rival gang member from Tukwila, was hanging out with two other juveniles at a Burien food mart when they crossed paths with Ortiz, who lived at the apartment building next door, say the charges. The two got into an argument over “graffiti disrespect,” and Rios-Andrade shot Ortiz with a .380-caliber handgun, according to charging papers.
King County prosecutors charged Rios-Andrade — also known as Joshua Rios — as an adult with second-degree murder.
Detectives say the killing of Ortiz touched off the recent uptick in violence between Hispanic gangs, often resulting in deadly retribution.
In Federal Way, Marcial-Alvarez was gunned down at a bus stop at South Dash Point Road and Pacific Highway South just before 4:30 p.m. April 11.
Around 1 a.m. April 12, 21-year-old Erasmo Plata was killed in Burien, a shooting that law-enforcement sources say was in retaliation for Marcial-Alvarez’s death. Later that night, someone opened fire on a house in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood associated with a gang that is aligned with Plata’s gang, court records show.
The house is “a known gang and narcotics location,” a sheriff’s detective wrote in a search warrant early last month. Seattle police responded to another shooting there in March, where they collected 22 shell casings, according to a police report.
A week after Marcial-Alvarez was killed, police arrested two suspects in connection with his death — Miguel Bejar, 21, and a 15-year-old boy prosecutors are seeking to have charged as an adult, court records show. Both are charged with first-degree murder.
Additionally, prosecutors have charged Alondra “Mama Pepa” Garcia-Garcia, 20, with rendering criminal assistance as the driver of the minivan that carried Bejar and the juvenile to and from the intersection where Marcial-Alvarez died, according to charging papers.
While the juvenile defendant denied being in a gang, Bejar told a police detective he is a gang member and described the ongoing dispute between his gang and Marcial-Alvarez’s gang, say the charges.
“Before the end of 2017, there’s going to be a lot of dead gangsters,” Bejar told police, according to charging papers.
Noting the youth of many of the shooters and victims embroiled in the recent gang war, Padilla, the Kent assistant police chief, said a coalition of social-service providers recently met to discuss gang-prevention strategies and ways to help parents whose kids have experienced extreme trauma — like witnessing a loved one overdose or get shot.
“When it (trauma) goes untreated, it often manifests in extreme violence,” Padilla said. “In a way, it’s amazing how advanced these gang members are, out on the streets, doing the hustle. They’ve had to grow up so much faster than my kid.”
Thanks to Sara Jean Green.
Friday, June 02, 2017
Former Chicago Mayor's Historic Eagle River Home "A Showplace of the North" to go up for Auction.
Upcoming auction of historical home built by former Chicago Mayor Edward J. Kelly in Eagle River, WI announced by Micoley.com, powered by RealtyHive. Home located on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes is scheduled for an online auction on June 28th, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CDT.
Referred to as "A Showplace of the North" by the Vilas County News in the publication's December 8, 1926 edition, the 7,400+ square foot historic Edward Kelly Residence is one of the most famous properties on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes and is scheduled for auction by Micoley.com on June 28th.
Designed by Canadian architect Francis Conroy Sullivan, who was a student of the prolific and lauded American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, construction of the historic home began in 1928. The home, built for Chicago's Mayor Edward J. Kelly, took four years to complete.
Keeping his admiration for the distinctly Midwestern Prairie School architectural style in mind, as well as Mayor Kelly's Chicago roots and lifestyle, Sullivan designed what would become a truly one-of-a-kind addition to the already stunning Eagle River community. The Edward Kelly Residence serves as a tribute to the Mayor and to the beautiful region with which it seamlessly blends and also perfectly represents.
The Vilas County property, built by Herman Korth & Son Construction, offers homeowners a substantial dash of history with all the thoughtful touches and comforts of home.
A key feature that makes the residence stand out in the Eagle River area is its use of durable California redwood -- historic in its own right -- as its primary construction material, which was all shipped in directly from California, specifically for the Kelly home.
The home's impressive interior features include a large floor-to-ceiling fireplace, made with native stone, a large formal dining room and adjacent living room area, 7-bedrooms, two screened-in sunrooms, 5 full baths and 3 half baths, a bright and inviting kitchen, and a butler's pantry.
Classic film fans and history buffs will appreciate Mayor Kelly's projection room, which still contains the original projectors. Mayor Kelly used the projection room to preview movies that would eventually be shown in Chicago before their release. As an added bonus for movie lovers -- particularly horror aficionados -- the 1978 Hollywood movie, "Damien: Omen II," starring Lee Grant and William Holden, was filmed at the estate.
Always keeping his mayoral responsibilities in mind, even while at his comfortable Eagle River home, Mayor Kelly kept a radio in his Kelly residence office where he recorded all of his speeches. The radio is still in the office.
As a rare bonus, the beautifully preserved original furnishings are still in place throughout the Kelly home, including a pristine baby grand piano; further reflecting the care that has gone into maintaining the integrity of this truly historic home.
The home's exterior grounds include a 3-car garage with chauffeur and caretaker quarters. The historic wet boathouse features a second story that has a full open recreational room that leads to an outdoor wrap-around deck, accessible through four separate double-door entrances. The interior of this spectacular space is made from the same beautiful California redwood used in the main house. The exterior of the boathouse features the original sailboat weather vane, which works perfectly.
With only two homeowners -- the second homebuyer taking ownership in 1951 -- prospective homebuyers will quickly recognize the commitment to the meticulous upkeep of this historic property.
The Indian Point reference to the home comes from the life-size American Indian Brave figure that has proudly stood guard over the point since its placement in the 1930s. Many local boaters use the figure as a reference point navigating Catfish Lake. The home sits on 7.14 acres and has 2,000 feet of sandy beach frontage.
Prospective homebuyers will find a healthy and thriving residential and recreational area surrounding the unique and historic Edward Kelly Residence at 1057 Everett Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521.
Wade Micoley notes that "This home is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a charming slice of American history with a bonus of being warm, comfortable, and inviting. We are very excited to see who takes interest in purchasing this property."
The property is listed at $4,495,000, with an opening bid of $2,750,000 if no offers are received before the auction on June 28. The property may sell prior to the event.
Interested parties should visit Micoley.com to find photos and details about this historic property. Walkthroughs are available by qualified appointments only and can be scheduled by calling 1-866-371-3619. Additionally, Micoley.com features a live chat service through which questions can be answered.
Referred to as "A Showplace of the North" by the Vilas County News in the publication's December 8, 1926 edition, the 7,400+ square foot historic Edward Kelly Residence is one of the most famous properties on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes and is scheduled for auction by Micoley.com on June 28th.
Designed by Canadian architect Francis Conroy Sullivan, who was a student of the prolific and lauded American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, construction of the historic home began in 1928. The home, built for Chicago's Mayor Edward J. Kelly, took four years to complete.
Keeping his admiration for the distinctly Midwestern Prairie School architectural style in mind, as well as Mayor Kelly's Chicago roots and lifestyle, Sullivan designed what would become a truly one-of-a-kind addition to the already stunning Eagle River community. The Edward Kelly Residence serves as a tribute to the Mayor and to the beautiful region with which it seamlessly blends and also perfectly represents.
The Vilas County property, built by Herman Korth & Son Construction, offers homeowners a substantial dash of history with all the thoughtful touches and comforts of home.
A key feature that makes the residence stand out in the Eagle River area is its use of durable California redwood -- historic in its own right -- as its primary construction material, which was all shipped in directly from California, specifically for the Kelly home.
The home's impressive interior features include a large floor-to-ceiling fireplace, made with native stone, a large formal dining room and adjacent living room area, 7-bedrooms, two screened-in sunrooms, 5 full baths and 3 half baths, a bright and inviting kitchen, and a butler's pantry.
Classic film fans and history buffs will appreciate Mayor Kelly's projection room, which still contains the original projectors. Mayor Kelly used the projection room to preview movies that would eventually be shown in Chicago before their release. As an added bonus for movie lovers -- particularly horror aficionados -- the 1978 Hollywood movie, "Damien: Omen II," starring Lee Grant and William Holden, was filmed at the estate.
Always keeping his mayoral responsibilities in mind, even while at his comfortable Eagle River home, Mayor Kelly kept a radio in his Kelly residence office where he recorded all of his speeches. The radio is still in the office.
As a rare bonus, the beautifully preserved original furnishings are still in place throughout the Kelly home, including a pristine baby grand piano; further reflecting the care that has gone into maintaining the integrity of this truly historic home.
The home's exterior grounds include a 3-car garage with chauffeur and caretaker quarters. The historic wet boathouse features a second story that has a full open recreational room that leads to an outdoor wrap-around deck, accessible through four separate double-door entrances. The interior of this spectacular space is made from the same beautiful California redwood used in the main house. The exterior of the boathouse features the original sailboat weather vane, which works perfectly.
With only two homeowners -- the second homebuyer taking ownership in 1951 -- prospective homebuyers will quickly recognize the commitment to the meticulous upkeep of this historic property.
The Indian Point reference to the home comes from the life-size American Indian Brave figure that has proudly stood guard over the point since its placement in the 1930s. Many local boaters use the figure as a reference point navigating Catfish Lake. The home sits on 7.14 acres and has 2,000 feet of sandy beach frontage.
Prospective homebuyers will find a healthy and thriving residential and recreational area surrounding the unique and historic Edward Kelly Residence at 1057 Everett Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521.
Wade Micoley notes that "This home is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a charming slice of American history with a bonus of being warm, comfortable, and inviting. We are very excited to see who takes interest in purchasing this property."
The property is listed at $4,495,000, with an opening bid of $2,750,000 if no offers are received before the auction on June 28. The property may sell prior to the event.
Interested parties should visit Micoley.com to find photos and details about this historic property. Walkthroughs are available by qualified appointments only and can be scheduled by calling 1-866-371-3619. Additionally, Micoley.com features a live chat service through which questions can be answered.
Feds want John "Pudgy" Matassa's union duties limited as reputed mobster awaits trial
Federal prosecutors want a reputed Chicago mob figure to curtail his day-to-day duties at a local laborers union while he faces charges stemming from an alleged scheme to fraudulently qualify for early retirement benefits.
John Matassa Jr., 65, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a 10-count indictment charging him with wire fraud, theft of government funds, embezzlement from a labor organization and making false entries in union records. The most serious charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly released Matassa on his own recognizance, requiring him to turn in his passport and firearm owner's identification card.
During the 10-minute hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Rothblatt said prosecutors had a "sincere concern" that while awaiting trial, Matassa, secretary-treasurer of the Independent Union of Amalgamated Workers Local 711, would be free to communicate with witnesses in the case and continue to make decisions on how to spend union members' dues. Rothblatt said prosecutors would be asking for Matassa's communications and financial duties to be restricted while the case was pending.
Matassa's lawyer, Robert Michels, objected, saying the union has a board of trustees that is "fully capable" of making personnel decisions without court intervention.
Kennelly asked prosecutors to put the request in writing before he ruled.
Matassa, of Arlington Heights, appeared in court Thursday in a blue suit jacket and shirt with no tie. He spoke only to answer "Yes" in a husky voice when Kennelly asked him if he understood his rights.
An indictment handed down last week alleged that Matassa put his wife on Local 711's payroll in a do-nothing job in February 2013 while lowering his own salary, authorities charged. He then applied for the early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration's Old-Age Insurance program, listing his reduced salary, enabling him to qualify for those benefits, the indictment alleged.
The charges also alleged that Matassa personally signed his wife's paychecks from the union and had them deposited into the couple's bank account.
In the late 1990s, Matassa, nicknamed "Pudgy," was kicked out as president of the Laborers Union Chicago local over his alleged extensive ties to organized crime.
Matassa's name also surfaced during the 2009 trial of a deputy U.S. marshal who was convicted of leaking sensitive information to a family friend with alleged mob ties, knowing the details would end up in the Outfit's hands.
The leak involved the then-secret cooperation of Outfit turncoat Nicholas Calabrese, whose testimony led to the convictions of numerous mob figures in the landmark Operation Family Secrets.
Thanks to Jason Meisner.
John Matassa Jr., 65, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a 10-count indictment charging him with wire fraud, theft of government funds, embezzlement from a labor organization and making false entries in union records. The most serious charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly released Matassa on his own recognizance, requiring him to turn in his passport and firearm owner's identification card.
During the 10-minute hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Rothblatt said prosecutors had a "sincere concern" that while awaiting trial, Matassa, secretary-treasurer of the Independent Union of Amalgamated Workers Local 711, would be free to communicate with witnesses in the case and continue to make decisions on how to spend union members' dues. Rothblatt said prosecutors would be asking for Matassa's communications and financial duties to be restricted while the case was pending.
Matassa's lawyer, Robert Michels, objected, saying the union has a board of trustees that is "fully capable" of making personnel decisions without court intervention.
Kennelly asked prosecutors to put the request in writing before he ruled.
Matassa, of Arlington Heights, appeared in court Thursday in a blue suit jacket and shirt with no tie. He spoke only to answer "Yes" in a husky voice when Kennelly asked him if he understood his rights.
An indictment handed down last week alleged that Matassa put his wife on Local 711's payroll in a do-nothing job in February 2013 while lowering his own salary, authorities charged. He then applied for the early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration's Old-Age Insurance program, listing his reduced salary, enabling him to qualify for those benefits, the indictment alleged.
The charges also alleged that Matassa personally signed his wife's paychecks from the union and had them deposited into the couple's bank account.
In the late 1990s, Matassa, nicknamed "Pudgy," was kicked out as president of the Laborers Union Chicago local over his alleged extensive ties to organized crime.
Matassa's name also surfaced during the 2009 trial of a deputy U.S. marshal who was convicted of leaking sensitive information to a family friend with alleged mob ties, knowing the details would end up in the Outfit's hands.
The leak involved the then-secret cooperation of Outfit turncoat Nicholas Calabrese, whose testimony led to the convictions of numerous mob figures in the landmark Operation Family Secrets.
Thanks to Jason Meisner.
The First Vice Lord: Big Jim Colosemo and the Ladies of the Levee
My tendency to either skim books or proofread them (from early magazine days) has encountered a new one from former Cook County police chief Art Bilek that I can’t put down: The First Vice Lord: Big Jim Colosemo and the Ladies of the Levee.
This is a masterpiece of writing and excruciatingly accurate research that describes how Big Jim Colosimo rose from a lowly street-sweeper to the most prominent operator of whorehouses
, gambling joints, and low-life restaurants in the days leading up to Prohibition, with the collusion of the police and politicians and the managerial skills of John Torrio and Al Capone. When his increasingly notorious Colosimo’s Café combined with his growing desire for respectability, love for a young songbird, and failure to exploit the opportunities afforded by Prohibition, Torrio (we must presume) had him murdered in the vestibule of his elegant restaurant in 1920—and the band marched on.
Nowhere has Chicago’s graft and corruption been so carefully and entertainingly documented, with special attention to the backgrounds of Torrio and Capone, who worked hard to weld the new and competing bootlegging gangs into the greatest illicit booze empire the country has ever known--one that did not factionalize into Chicago’s bloody Beer Wars that began with the killing of North Side mob-leader Dean O’Banion four years later. My own work has concentrated on the years following Prohibition, so I’m especially happy to report that Bilek’s book explains what made the Roaring Twenties possible.
Reviewed by William J. Helmer, courtesy of On the Spot Journal.
This is a masterpiece of writing and excruciatingly accurate research that describes how Big Jim Colosimo rose from a lowly street-sweeper to the most prominent operator of whorehouses
, gambling joints, and low-life restaurants in the days leading up to Prohibition, with the collusion of the police and politicians and the managerial skills of John Torrio and Al Capone. When his increasingly notorious Colosimo’s Café combined with his growing desire for respectability, love for a young songbird, and failure to exploit the opportunities afforded by Prohibition, Torrio (we must presume) had him murdered in the vestibule of his elegant restaurant in 1920—and the band marched on.Nowhere has Chicago’s graft and corruption been so carefully and entertainingly documented, with special attention to the backgrounds of Torrio and Capone, who worked hard to weld the new and competing bootlegging gangs into the greatest illicit booze empire the country has ever known--one that did not factionalize into Chicago’s bloody Beer Wars that began with the killing of North Side mob-leader Dean O’Banion four years later. My own work has concentrated on the years following Prohibition, so I’m especially happy to report that Bilek’s book explains what made the Roaring Twenties possible.
Reviewed by William J. Helmer, courtesy of On the Spot Journal.
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