Michael Marcello sentenced to 8 1/2 years in Family Secrets probe
By Azam Ahmed | Tribune reporter
March 12, 2008


The half-brother of a reputed top Chicago mobster and admitted member of the Outfit's Melrose Park crew was sentenced Tuesday to 8 1/2 years in prison for crimes related to the sweeping Family Secrets investigation.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel handed down the sentence for Michael "Mickey" Marcello, 58, who has been jailed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center since his arrest nearly three years ago.

Marcello was given credit for time already served, leaving 67 months on his prison sentence, after which he will be placed on 3 years of supervised release. The sentence was at the high range of federal guidelines.

Before being sentenced, Marcello expressed remorse for his crimes and said he looked forward to rejoining his family after his release. He said he's already missed many family milestones, including the death of his mother.

Marcello's son and stepson also gave tearful statements, telling the judge of their love for their father and saying he was a decent man.

Zagel said even though he was moved by the statements, a long sentence was prudent.

"The most important lesson to be drawn . . . is that even when you're talking about friends and family, limits have to be drawn," Zagel said.

Defense attorneys Arthur Nasser and Catharine O'Daniel expressed disappointment in the length of the sentence.

As one of the first defendants to plead guilty in the Family Secrets indictment, Marcello admitted he passed information to his incarcerated half-brother, James Marcello, the reputed head of the Chicago Outfit.

He also admitted relaying payments of $4,000 a month to mobster Nicholas Calabrese in a bid to buy his silence. Calabrese became the star witness for the prosecution.

James Marcello—along with two other Outfit members—was convicted in September in the Family Secrets trial of some of the most infamous gangland slayings in Chicago history.

An anonymous federal jury ruled James Marcello took part in the 1986 murders of Anthony Spilotro, the mob's Las Vegas chieftain, and his brother Michael.

Also convicted of doing mob dirty work were Joey "the Clown" Lombardo and Frank Calabrese Sr. A fourth defendant, Paul "the Indian" Schiro, was acquitted but faces prison on another conviction.

After the trial, prosecutors claimed an overarching victory, calling the case perhaps the government's most significant against the Outfit in Chicago history. The four Outfit figures and former Chicago Police Officer Anthony "Twan" Doyle were convicted of racketeering conspiracy.

Tribune reporter Jason Meisner contributed to this report.

aahmed@tribune.com