Mobster hit with 16-plus years in prison

By Laurel J. Sweet
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - Updated 23 hours ago

A Somerville thug federal prosecutors say was street boss of La Cosa Nostra’s Colombo Family was sentenced today to serve the next 16-and-a-half years in the slammer after pleading guilty to racketeering and being a felon in possession of firearms.

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock actually hit Ralph P. DeLeo, 69, with a stretch of 235 months, but credited the mobster the three years he’s been sitting behind bars awaiting his fate.

“Our office continues to investigate and prosecute organized crime wherever it attempts to establish a foothold in the commonwealth,” U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said. “We are prepared to prevent it from victimizing and corrupting any of its victims, including legitimate businesses.”


Prosecutors said DeLeo’s crew engaged in the importation, trafficking, and distribution of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, extortion, loan sharking, and interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering. They operated principally in the areas of Massachusetts, Arkansas, Florida and New York, prosecutors said.

The crew kept a hidden cache of at least 11 guns, a silencer, ammunition, police uniforms, patches from at least three different police departments, wigs, masks, and zip ties.

“For the second time in one week, investigations by the FBI and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners have led to the conviction and sentencing of high-ranking LCN members,” said Richard DesLauriers, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Last week, New England LCN’s leader (Anthony DiNunzio) was sentenced and today the acting street boss of the Columbo Crime Family faced justice.

“It is undeniable the FBI and our law enforcement partners have broken the LCN’s code of silence,” he said, “and the LCN knows it can no longer rely on its sworn bonds for protection.”

Still have no idea how a guy in Somerville, Massachusetts was considered boss of the Colombo family. Makes no sense. I think that was overblown.

he was boss because allie trusted him. nothing more. to bad he has to die in prison.

Looks like some of the LCN families in U.S. are realy startin to look like easy targets....In the police station "Hey partner what r we gonna do today?"...the other guy..."I dunno,im bored...lets go out and catch us a few LCN bosses,lets have fun!!!whoooop"...

They are career criminals, most of them are gonna end up in jail at some point anyway. To be honest they get busted with the same or less frequency that the urban drug gangs do.

^^^ True,i think the same frequency

This story always seemed weird, I remember when it broke a few years back. A Colombo guy in Somerville, Mass, just doesn't make sense...

smart move by the colombos, take the target off the back of their main operations in ny, get a small breather from the feds for a bit, even though it ultimately didnt work/didnt matter

I remember reading somewhere that he was caught on a wiretap saying he was really unprepared for the first time he headed a "making ceremony". Something about being picked up and having to switch cars a half-of-dozen times in the middle of the night.

Anyone recall that..?

He didn't say he was unprepared, but I think he was about to tell his sister bout a making ceremony. Anyway here you go, your welcome.
http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=648525

this guy has a long record he did like 25 yrs. he robbed like 10 banks killed a guys for a doctor and maybe co-operated against the doctor it was a murder for hire but it was never really confirmed. it was mentiond he made 7 guys at i think foxwoods casino or mohegan sun. you gotta wonder, i bet theres a colombo guy in brooklyn running the family probaly making guys right on thankgiving. rats never stoped them before and theres money to be made.the show must go on. anyone no if mivhael persico got sentenced i read he was looking at a sweet deal, but none of the papers followed up on it. with all the colombo guys doing life, i bet they got more lifers then any other family someone has to watch there interests.

He got a 5 year deal.

the ceremony is usually in between christmas and new years.

^^^traditionally they were,now they are held year round whenever they can pull it off, i know the feds tailed the colombos to a cancelled ceremony before the big mob bust, some of the guys wound up getting made ine arly january before the bust and sessa was made in jail by russo

http://www.fivefamiliesnyc.com/2011/01/fbi-forces-colombo-family-to-cancel.html

right, there are exceptions, and now i doubt it matters all that much now. but that is the tradition that i knew of. even if it was nt followed back then.

gotti jr along with mikey scars and two others were made xmas day of 88, michael franzese was made midnight on halloween in 1975 at 24 yrs of age

they made them young back then no?

well there are exceptions and in those two cases, gotti jr was made while his father was boss, he was proposd by frankie locascio i believe, mikey franzese is the son of colombo legend sonny franzese and was proposed by andrew russo i believe, i know his capo was andrew russo

sonny franseze. jesus. he was an old man when i was a kid.lol. i wonder how hes doing. you know where hes doin his time? springfield? he cant in good shape any more. i feel bad for anyone that has to die in prison. whether they are wiseguys or not.

JOHN FRANZESE 70022-158 95-White-M 06-25-2017 DEVENS FMC

The Federal Medical Center (FMC) Devens is an administrative facility housing male offenders requiring specialized or long-term medical or mental health care. FMC Devens also has a satellite camp housing minimum security male inmates.

FMC Devens is located in north central Massachusetts, approximately 39 miles west of Boston and 20 miles north of Worcester, on the decommissioned military base of Fort Devens.

frank gioia jr also got made at 24 in october of 1991 with the lucchese fam

devens aint that bad. theres a big italian pop there. didnt crea do his stretch there?

dont remember

It was actually Christmas Eve junior was made

According to Mike Dileonardo who was made alongside him you're right.

Here's Mikes testimony ( or part of it ) if anyones interested.

http://www.onewal.com/nw-dileo.html

christmas day/eve same difference but you are right

the ceremony is sometimes held at midnight so that might be why i remember xmas day

Is there any signifance of having ceremonies at midnight? I think IMA was there also he decorated the Christmas Tree with his crew