Bad rat! Feds dump another informant

Prosecutors revealed Wednesday Bonanno associate Joseph Galante Jr. — who should have been the star witness in the extortion trial of reputed Genovese captain Anthony (Rom) Romanello — has been booted off Team America.

A good rat is hard to find.

The feds have dumped a second mob informant who had secretly taped wiseguys in a case currently on trial in Brooklyn Federal Court.

In both trials, the tapes were played for the jury, but the wire-wearing weasels were missing in action.

Prosecutors revealed Wednesday Bonanno associate Joseph Galante Jr. — who should have been the star witness in the extortion trial of reputed Genovese captain Anthony (Rom) Romanello — has been booted off Team America.

Galante recorded an alleged mob sitdown in a Queens pizzeria
to settle a dispute over a $30,000 debt he owed a mortgage broker.

“Mr. Galante is not going to get a 5K1 letter from the government,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Dennehy told Federal Judge Carol Amon, referring to a letter that recommends a reduced sentence in return for assisting authorities.

The government typically takes such drastic action when the informant has been caught committing new crimes.

Galante's criminal case is sealed so it is unknown what he’s accused of. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Another mob rat, former Colombo capo Reynold Maragni, was fired last week as a government witness in a money laundering on trial across the hall.

Cooperating witnesses are the backbone of Mafia cases. When rats go bad, the government’s case often does, too.

Both trials are going to the juries Wednesday.

“There’s no question a jury wonders why the informant is not called to testify,” said prominent criminal defense lawyer Robert Gottlieb who is not involved in either case. “If they hear there was some misconduct that led the government not to call him, it could prove devastating.”

jmarzulli@nydailynews.com





Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bad-rat-feds-pump-mob-informant-article-1.1209839#ixzz2Dcgda9zc

///Does anyone know if this Joseph Galante Jr is of any relation to Lilo?

Any chance that Romanello gets off scott free? Or does that not work since he already pleaded guilty?

Not sure if it works during trial. But he can retract his guilty plea during appeal if he and his lawyer find it necessary. I believe...

So, what do these guys do when they've kind of turned rat but again they're refused as becoming an informant?

You think this case is going to end up a failure for the Feds? It doesn't happen often and if he's convicted he'll probably get a light sentence

i read this rat galante was the extortion victim they played his tape but he didnt take the stand. the guy rom's lawyer mchmon is pounding the jury why isnt the so called victim on the stand it looks like there will be a virdict by the end of the day. also why the hell was massino invited to this trial a 15x killer.over a 30k loan, they want this guy bad. the trial must cost alot more then 30k loan how much you think they wasted on witnesses. i remember reading allie boy persico had the chance to call massino as a defence witness but he'd have to pay for massino's privite security or the us marshalls like 25k. he didnt but tried to use it on appeal the nuts.

actually pmac it wasnt even a loan. it was a mortgage brokwr fee that the kid [galante] didnt want to pay. the broker [rocco something] went to rom. rom and shecky sat down over the issue and [alledgedly] solved it by making galante pay a lesser amount. i dont know this kid [galante] but i am willing to bet he got pinched on a drug beef and this was the only thing he could give to the feds that mattered.

and in regards to mcmahon.yes,i agree. hes a bulldog in court. he is the go to trial guy for half of brooklyn. him and fischetti.lol.

^in all seriousness what Rom did doesn't sound that serious. There weren't any threats of violence it was just a simple sitdown haha. Why is this guy such a high target for the Feds anyway? He doesn't seem all that important

a sitdown is illegal under rico. you are using an organized crime group to settle a problem,which is [technically] extortion. i agree with you, also notice the stock broker isnt in any trouble either. rom is important bc hes close to the westside administration.any chance the feds have at a genovese guy, theyll take it.

Whatever happens its going to be light. This case just isn't that serious. Similar to the bonanno one a few months back in which they all got about a year

agreed. t.v. gets out in may. talk about a popcorn fart.

And Graziano gets released around the same time along with the other guys. Nicky Mouth gets sentenced tomorrow, but this Romanello case is turning into a flop.

poor shecky is getting to old. time to retire.hope he makes it out okay.

rom was acquitted today.

no surprise, the main witness james galante jr was dumped as an informant.

Damn this is a rarity for a high ranking wiseguy these days. Especially a Genovese guy the Feds wanted to nail. I suspected he would get off light but the acquital was a tad bit of a shock.

He was acquitted but still has to serve a six months house arrest sentence on conspiracy charges. This sentence came after he pleaded guilty earlier this year for playing a role in a 1990 conspiracy to intimidate a debtor into paying a debt.