Hog Heaven 5mob, Pagans Cozy Merlino Invites Biker Leader To Party For Daughter's Christening

by Stu Bykofsky, Daily News Columnist
POSTED: March 23, 1998
Among the princes, dukes, barons and other allegeds attending last night's christening party for Sophia Merlino, there was a Gorilla.

All but stealing the show from the Usual Suspects of Mob Royalty was bulky South Philadelphian Steven ``Gorilla'' Montevergine, a high-ranking member of the outlaw Pagan motorcycle gang. His dapper two-piece, charcoal-gray suit hid the tattoos on his forearms that identify him as a Pagan, and as a Pagan leader.

The arrival of the 5-foot-10, 260-pound Gorilla by limo at the invitation-only party surprised many observers because there has been a history of animosity between the tattooed Pagans and the faction of the mob loyal to reputed underboss Joseph ``Skinny Joey'' Merlino.

What has now developed, the Daily News has learned exclusively, is an unholy alliance between the two local crime organizations, according to a street source familiar with Pagan activities and an organized crime detective who prefers to call it ``a marriage of convenience.''

The alliance, both agree, is a result of Merlino lacking serious muscle. He's down to a half-dozen trusted lieutenants, according to a local Mafia associate.

Merlino reportedly is on the hit list of New York's infamous Genovese crime family, which put out a $500,000 contract for the deaths of Merlino, reputed mob capo Steve Mazzone, and perhaps another associate, according to published reports and confirmed by law enforcement officials. (When informed of the reported contract by Fox 29, Merlino wisecracked, ``For $500,000, I'd kill myself.'')

The Philly mob answers to New York, and the New York mob also has turned to bikers - the Hell's Angels - for ``muscle,'' according to sources. Since the Angels and the Pagans are natural enemies, the Pagans' alliance with Merlino can be understood as ``the enemy of my enemy is my friend.''

Hell's Angels have moved east from their traditional stronghold in California and the Pacific coast and lately have been seeking a foothold in the Philadelphia region.

The most recent bad blood between the local mobsters and bikers can be traced to 1995, when Anthony Nicodemo, then a rising star in the Merlino organization, mouthed off about the Pagans - calling the gang a word that sounds like ``wussies'' - in the Philadium Tavern, a sports bar frequented by bikers (and the occasional Flyer) on Packer Avenue near 16th Street.

The next day, Gorilla, then the Pagans' sergeant-at-arms, and a couple of bikers, snatched Nicodemo off the street, took him to the Southern High field on Bigler at 11th and beat the snot out of him for showing ``disrespect.'' He was forced to kneel and apologize, sources said.

Gorilla gave Nicodemo a message for his boss: Merlino was to apologize for his underling's big mouth - or else.

When the deadline passed, 17 Pagan motorcycles and a couple of Pagan-stuffed cars roared up to the Avenue Cafe on Passyunk Avenue, then owned by Merlino and used as a mob hangout.

Their intent was to whip Merlino on his own turf, but the lucky espresso shop owner was not there.

He later sent a messenger with an apology, it was reported.

Bad blood between the Mafia and bikers is nothing new.

In 1982, Skinny Joey's father, Salvatore ``Chuckie'' Merlino had a run-in - literally - with the Pagans.

The elder Merlino, then reputed underboss for Nicodemo ``Little Nicky'' Scarfo, ran over Pagan member John ``Egyptian'' Kachabalian, who was sitting on his Harley outside a South Philly restaurant.

The Pagans shot up Merlino's house in payback. Further retribution was feared.

Mob associate Raymond ``Long John'' Martorano, who was then in the drug business with the Pagans, offered to break Merlino's arms and legs to settle the matter, but the Pagans instead accepted $5,000 as compensation for the destroyed bike.

The current Pax Pagan is in part due to a war brewing between the Hell's Angels and the Pagans.

``They're enemies and they always have been,'' according to the source close to the Pagans, who clearly don't want a two-front war with the Mafia and the Angels.

While the Pagans claim Philadelphia, they have not been active in defending their turf - until now, said the source.

``You'll be seeing a lot of Pagans in Philadelphia, especially South Philadelphia. They are sending a message to the Hell's Angels. The message is `Stay . . . out of Philly.' What is coming down the road, is coming,'' he said.

When the Pagans talk ``territory,'' they're not talking real estate. They're talking bookmaking, drugs, prostitution.

``Hell's Angels are making a major push here for recruitment, to take over the drug trade and war with the Pagans,'' agreed the organized crime detective.

``Hell's Angels have the upper hand as far as organization, nationally,'' said the cop. The battle is over ``the oil,'' which is what they call P2P, a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

``Most of the oil is smuggled in from the Far East. The whole war is over oil.''

With the Hell's Angels and the Pagans locked in combat for control of the territory, ``It's like dynamite and a match,'' said the cop.

Mix the Mafia into the equation and it becomes nitroglycerine.