Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a federal jury found COREY BROWN guilty of murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, and firearms charges, and found JOSNEL RODRIGUEZ guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As a unanimous jury found after trial, Corey Brown ordered the murder of Vincent Davis, a rival gang member, and Josnel Rodriguez participated in that murder. Sex Money Murder has terrorized residents of the Bronx with years of drug dealing, gang violence, and murder. This prosecution ensures that Brown and Rodriguez will no longer be able to do so. We will continue to be relentless in working to make our communities safer by investigating and prosecuting gang violence.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence presented in court during the trial:
Between 2011 and 2016, BROWN and RODRIGUEZ were members of Sex Money Murder, a gang that operates mainly in and around several housing developments in the Bronx, New York. Sex Money Murder (“SMM”) members enriched themselves by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and engaged in acts of violence, including murder. BROWN, who was a leader of Sex Money Murder, ordered the murder of fellow gang member Vincent Davis. On or about July 15, 2012, JOSNEL RODRIGUEZ and another SMM member participated in the murder of Vincent Davis, in the vicinity of 566 Pugsley Avenue, Bronx, New York, in order to maintain, and increase, their standing within SMM.
Monday, July 03, 2017
Friday, June 30, 2017
Drummer for the Mob
Drummer for the Mob, a novel by by Frank Catanzano (AuthorHouse), is an irreverent and often funny look at life working with members of organized crime who ran many of the clubs in Pittsburgh. Based on true events, Frank has taken great pains to disguise the people, places and things in this tell-all story of how the wise guys ruled through intimidation and threats.
"Frankie
, give this envelope to Mr. Passano when you see him tomorrow," club manager and ever-vigilant doorman Jerry D'iorfio said. The envelope was sealed but I could tell there was a great deal of cash in it. I'm just the drummer with the band, and now suddenly I am making some sort of delivery to the syndicate. My mother would have been proud.
"Don't worry," Jerry laughed. "We trust you. After all, you're a paesano, am I right?" He suddenly grew serious. "Plus, you pull any fast one and, bing bada bing, you're history." Then Jerry laughed again. Frankie Severino wasn't laughing. When the FBI and IRS investigated him four years later, they weren't laughing either.
In Frank Catanzano's novel, Drummer for the Mob, main character Frankie Severino launched his musical career at the tender age of 14 in bars and clubs in the city, where men pushed their inebriated wives on him and girls would make offers he couldn't refuse. He quickly learned the charisma and power a musician held for some, and grew into a young man who would crack wise to anyone, from the wise guys themselves to the FBI and IRS, which tried to coerce him into identifying the men he worked for. In his own inimitable fashion Frankie said, "I had the FBI so far up my ass I could taste Brylcream…but I gave them bupkus." This investigation ultimately cost him his day job at an advertising agency. It wasn't until he met the 17-year-old Toni that his life began to change and with her support, would break the hold the syndicate had on him.
Frankie's narrative is a personal account of the sometimes hilarious and often dangerous years he and his fellow musicians in The Nite Lites toiled in these clubs. Drummer for the Mob is a no holds barred, behind the scenes look at the sex, drugs and rock and roll during these pre-AIDS years, told through the lens of social values and the music genres of the period. Drummer, a work of fiction, is based on actual events. The names of the crime families, bosses, clubs and band members have been changed to protect Frankie "because he can't swim."
The reader can almost smell the beer and cigarette smoke settling like a shroud over the infamous after hours club, the Horizon Club, as Frankie Severino has to deal with owner Big Julie Passano, who intimidates with a heavy hand and a deadly stare. When Frankie and his band tried to leave the Horizon, Big Julie called him:
"You ain't going nowhere. My customers like you guys. I like you guys." I could feel his love through the phone."
"Mr. Passano, we've played at the Horizon for a little over three years, and we're tired. I believe it's a good time to bring in new blood, and another band that will re-energize the club." There was a deafening silence on the other line. Then Julie Passano calmly said in a frosty voice, "Frankie, can you swim?"
Drummer for the Mob will appeal to a wide range of readers, including those fascinated with the Mafia and organized crime, the millions of musicians who ply their trade in cover bands around the country and the Baby Boomers who boogied their way through the 70s in the clubs, while dancing to live music. They will find Drummer to be a compelling look at the way the wise guys ran their operations and controlled their customers. The millions who watched The Sopranos and The Godfather will love the way this book uniquely combines the color and sounds of Saturday Night Fever with the violence and dark humor of Good Fellas.
Frank Catanzano is a respected journalist and public relations consultant who has worked for corporations and organizations around the world. He has written speeches for top executives and hundreds of articles on subjects ranging from stainless alloys for aerospace to life aboard an oil super tanker. Frank has won more than 16 national and local writing and publicity awards and today owns Emerald City Communications, one of Pittsburgh's leading marketing firms. An accomplished musician, he also plays drums with local bands, primarily for fund-raising events.
"Frankie
, give this envelope to Mr. Passano when you see him tomorrow," club manager and ever-vigilant doorman Jerry D'iorfio said. The envelope was sealed but I could tell there was a great deal of cash in it. I'm just the drummer with the band, and now suddenly I am making some sort of delivery to the syndicate. My mother would have been proud."Don't worry," Jerry laughed. "We trust you. After all, you're a paesano, am I right?" He suddenly grew serious. "Plus, you pull any fast one and, bing bada bing, you're history." Then Jerry laughed again. Frankie Severino wasn't laughing. When the FBI and IRS investigated him four years later, they weren't laughing either.
In Frank Catanzano's novel, Drummer for the Mob, main character Frankie Severino launched his musical career at the tender age of 14 in bars and clubs in the city, where men pushed their inebriated wives on him and girls would make offers he couldn't refuse. He quickly learned the charisma and power a musician held for some, and grew into a young man who would crack wise to anyone, from the wise guys themselves to the FBI and IRS, which tried to coerce him into identifying the men he worked for. In his own inimitable fashion Frankie said, "I had the FBI so far up my ass I could taste Brylcream…but I gave them bupkus." This investigation ultimately cost him his day job at an advertising agency. It wasn't until he met the 17-year-old Toni that his life began to change and with her support, would break the hold the syndicate had on him.
Frankie's narrative is a personal account of the sometimes hilarious and often dangerous years he and his fellow musicians in The Nite Lites toiled in these clubs. Drummer for the Mob is a no holds barred, behind the scenes look at the sex, drugs and rock and roll during these pre-AIDS years, told through the lens of social values and the music genres of the period. Drummer, a work of fiction, is based on actual events. The names of the crime families, bosses, clubs and band members have been changed to protect Frankie "because he can't swim."
The reader can almost smell the beer and cigarette smoke settling like a shroud over the infamous after hours club, the Horizon Club, as Frankie Severino has to deal with owner Big Julie Passano, who intimidates with a heavy hand and a deadly stare. When Frankie and his band tried to leave the Horizon, Big Julie called him:
"You ain't going nowhere. My customers like you guys. I like you guys." I could feel his love through the phone."
"Mr. Passano, we've played at the Horizon for a little over three years, and we're tired. I believe it's a good time to bring in new blood, and another band that will re-energize the club." There was a deafening silence on the other line. Then Julie Passano calmly said in a frosty voice, "Frankie, can you swim?"
Drummer for the Mob will appeal to a wide range of readers, including those fascinated with the Mafia and organized crime, the millions of musicians who ply their trade in cover bands around the country and the Baby Boomers who boogied their way through the 70s in the clubs, while dancing to live music. They will find Drummer to be a compelling look at the way the wise guys ran their operations and controlled their customers. The millions who watched The Sopranos and The Godfather will love the way this book uniquely combines the color and sounds of Saturday Night Fever with the violence and dark humor of Good Fellas.
Frank Catanzano is a respected journalist and public relations consultant who has worked for corporations and organizations around the world. He has written speeches for top executives and hundreds of articles on subjects ranging from stainless alloys for aerospace to life aboard an oil super tanker. Frank has won more than 16 national and local writing and publicity awards and today owns Emerald City Communications, one of Pittsburgh's leading marketing firms. An accomplished musician, he also plays drums with local bands, primarily for fund-raising events.
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
The King of Sting: The Amazing True Story of a Modern American Outlaw
The King of Sting: The Amazing True Story of a Modern American Outlaw, is an amazing true story of an modern American Outlaw. While not a typical mob book
, it is a stunning tale that crosses over several times into organized crime themes.
No one could have predicted that a petty crime against Craig Glazer would be the catalyst for a life on the edge. But then again, nothing about Craig Glazer was predictable.
In 1971, as a skinny Jewish kid from Kansas City, Glazer was attending Arizona State University when he was robbed while buying marijuana for his fraternity brothers. His head filled with lessons in crime and criminals learned from movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which the hero was just on the edge of the law, Craig decided to get even with the dealers who robbed him. He set up his first fake "sting," pretending to be law enforcement. Unbelievably, his plan worked with him walking away with $50,000, and it set him on a path that was as unlikely as it was dangerous.
He masterminded a two-year spree of stings that stretched from Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Posing as everything from local police to IRS agents to hotel managers, he and his crew set up cons and raked in a fortune.
Craig and his partner, the streetwise Viet Nam veteran Donald Woodbeck, had such success that the Attorney General's office asked them for help ferreting out some of the most sought-after drug lords in the country. It was a dangerous double life. Like many other rags to riches stories, Craig's does not lead to a Hollywood happy ending. There was payback. Woodbeck was murdered which led to Craig posing as the Mafia to extract revenge, but eventually, he landed in prison. The King of Sting is a story of wanting to be famous, even if it meant becoming infamous.
, it is a stunning tale that crosses over several times into organized crime themes.No one could have predicted that a petty crime against Craig Glazer would be the catalyst for a life on the edge. But then again, nothing about Craig Glazer was predictable.
In 1971, as a skinny Jewish kid from Kansas City, Glazer was attending Arizona State University when he was robbed while buying marijuana for his fraternity brothers. His head filled with lessons in crime and criminals learned from movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which the hero was just on the edge of the law, Craig decided to get even with the dealers who robbed him. He set up his first fake "sting," pretending to be law enforcement. Unbelievably, his plan worked with him walking away with $50,000, and it set him on a path that was as unlikely as it was dangerous.
He masterminded a two-year spree of stings that stretched from Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Posing as everything from local police to IRS agents to hotel managers, he and his crew set up cons and raked in a fortune.
Craig and his partner, the streetwise Viet Nam veteran Donald Woodbeck, had such success that the Attorney General's office asked them for help ferreting out some of the most sought-after drug lords in the country. It was a dangerous double life. Like many other rags to riches stories, Craig's does not lead to a Hollywood happy ending. There was payback. Woodbeck was murdered which led to Craig posing as the Mafia to extract revenge, but eventually, he landed in prison. The King of Sting is a story of wanting to be famous, even if it meant becoming infamous.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Al Capone's Diamond Pocket Watch Sold for Over $84K at Gangsters, Outlaws & Lawmen Auction
Al Capone's diamond-studded, platinum pocket watch went for $84,375 during an auction Saturday featuring other artifacts that belonged to some of America's most notorious gangsters.
Capone's watch as well as a musical composition he handwrote behind bars in Alcatraz were among the items up for bid in the "Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen" auction by RR Auction, an auction house headquartered in Boston. The auction was held Saturday afternoon at the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Capone, who was born to Italian immigrants in New York City, headed a Chicago-based crime empire during the Prohibition era that raked in millions of dollars through bootlegging, gambling, racketeering and other illicit activities. He was dubbed Scarface by the press after his face was slashed during a fight, a nickname he apparently disliked.
"Unlike his more maligned moniker of ‘Scarface,’ Capone preferred that those closest to him call him by ‘Snorky,’ a slang term which meant ‘sharp’ or ‘well-dressed,'" according to a description accompanying Capone's watch on RR Auction's website.
According to the auction house, the rounded triangular pocket watch was personally owned and used by Capone. The timepiece is on its original chain made of 14-karat white gold. The exterior of the case features 23 diamonds shaped to form Capone's initials, "AC," which are encircled by 26 additional diamonds. Another 72 diamonds circle the watch's platinum face and gold-tone impressed numerals.
Online bids for Capone's watch had surpassed $17,000 prior to the live auction Saturday afternoon. Experts estimated the item would sell for more than $25,000, according to RR Auction.
A musical piece entitled "Humoresque," written in pencil by Capone when he was incarcerated in Alcatraz in the 1930s, was also up for grabs. The musical manuscript shows Capone's softer side, containing the lines: "You thrill and fill this heart of mine, with gladness like a soothing symphony, over the air, you gently float, and in my soul, you strike a note."
Experts estimated the sheet will sell for over $20,000, according to RR auction. it went for $18,750.
Also up for auction was a letter written by gangster boss John Gotti, two life-size death masks of gangster John Dillinger, a brick from the scene of the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and jewelry that belonged to infamous crime duo Bonnie and Clyde.
Thanks to Morgan Winsor.
Capone's watch as well as a musical composition he handwrote behind bars in Alcatraz were among the items up for bid in the "Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen" auction by RR Auction, an auction house headquartered in Boston. The auction was held Saturday afternoon at the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Capone, who was born to Italian immigrants in New York City, headed a Chicago-based crime empire during the Prohibition era that raked in millions of dollars through bootlegging, gambling, racketeering and other illicit activities. He was dubbed Scarface by the press after his face was slashed during a fight, a nickname he apparently disliked.
"Unlike his more maligned moniker of ‘Scarface,’ Capone preferred that those closest to him call him by ‘Snorky,’ a slang term which meant ‘sharp’ or ‘well-dressed,'" according to a description accompanying Capone's watch on RR Auction's website.
According to the auction house, the rounded triangular pocket watch was personally owned and used by Capone. The timepiece is on its original chain made of 14-karat white gold. The exterior of the case features 23 diamonds shaped to form Capone's initials, "AC," which are encircled by 26 additional diamonds. Another 72 diamonds circle the watch's platinum face and gold-tone impressed numerals.
Online bids for Capone's watch had surpassed $17,000 prior to the live auction Saturday afternoon. Experts estimated the item would sell for more than $25,000, according to RR Auction.
A musical piece entitled "Humoresque," written in pencil by Capone when he was incarcerated in Alcatraz in the 1930s, was also up for grabs. The musical manuscript shows Capone's softer side, containing the lines: "You thrill and fill this heart of mine, with gladness like a soothing symphony, over the air, you gently float, and in my soul, you strike a note."
Experts estimated the sheet will sell for over $20,000, according to RR auction. it went for $18,750.
Also up for auction was a letter written by gangster boss John Gotti, two life-size death masks of gangster John Dillinger, a brick from the scene of the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and jewelry that belonged to infamous crime duo Bonnie and Clyde.
Thanks to Morgan Winsor.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Bugsy Siegel, the glamour-loving gangster, was shot down in Beverly Hills on this day in 1947
A drive-by shooter unloads nine rounds through the front window of a Beverly Hills home, instantly killing notorious gangster Bugsy Siegel.
A founder of the small but promising Las Vegas casino scene, the pal of movie stars and moguls, and head of the Mafia's west coast syndicate, is dead at 41.
No one was charged with the murder, and the crime remains officially unsolved.
A founder of the small but promising Las Vegas casino scene, the pal of movie stars and moguls, and head of the Mafia's west coast syndicate, is dead at 41.
No one was charged with the murder, and the crime remains officially unsolved.
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