Gambling raids cap an 8-year U.S. probe
Suspects' lawyers: It's small-time
March 4, 2006
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
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A 15th suspect was arrested at his home in suburban Chicago.
Although he said the gambling ring was run by the nephew of Detroit mob boss Jack Tocco and included the sons of two Mafia captains, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III stopped short of calling it a Mafia-run operation
The roundup came as authorities unsealed a 13-count indictment describing a network of bookies who took bets from across the country. Bettors used codes to identify themselves, prosecutors said.
The operation laundered money through a used car lot, Patrick Auto Sales on 8 Mile in Warren, hiding gambling profits in the business' books and accepting cars as payment for debts, the indictment said.
It also said the operation had an enforcement arm to threaten losing gamblers into paying. It stopped short of saying whether any threats were carried out.
Murphy said the indictment -- alleging racketeering, money laundering, gambling conspiracy and extortion -- wraps up an investigation begun in 1998 that was part of a federal drive against organized crime. The government seeks forfeiture of almost $6 million in real estate and cash as criminal proceeds from the operation.
The suspects were arraigned Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court and released on personal bond. Among them was Peter Dominic Tocco, 55, of Troy, who investigators say managed the ring.
The courtroom scene was reminiscent of earlier government attempts to rein in Detroit's crime families, with the cream of the Detroit criminal defense bar chatting with handcuffed clients while agents and federal prosecutors watched from the gallery.
In the late 1990s, federal authorities in Detroit prosecuted a conspiracy trial against some of the old guard of local organized crime.
That case ended with numerous convictions and restored some glamour to the anticrime force that had seen its prosecution of an alleged gambling conspiracy involving the Wolverine Golf Club end in a wave of acquittals.
The indictment unsealed Friday hit some of the old guard's sons and nephews.
Authorities said Tocco is the nephew of Detroit crime boss Jack Tocco; Dominic Corrado, 35, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., is the son of the late Anthony (the Bull) Corrado, and Jack Giacalone, 56, of West Bloomfield, is the son of Vito (Billy Jack) Giacalone.
Tocco's son Peter, 27, of Macomb also was arraigned.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Roberts would not say how much money flowed through the operation, but "from the FBI's perspective in Detroit, it's probably the biggest gambling investigation we've got going on" in terms of profits.
Most of the defense lawyers in court Friday declined comment for publication, but some scoffed at the dramatic early-morning sweeps as federal showboating in a case that has been percolating for years.
"We're losing the battle on terrorism but we've got enough time and enough agents to go out and arrest a self-described degenerate gambler," said David Griem, a former federal prosecutor, representing Vincenzo Bronzino, 40, of Macomb Township.
Griem said four agents came to pick up Bronzino, and his wife of only several weeks "freaked out when they hit the door."
"My client's guilty of gambling, but not guilty of money laundering," Griem said
Roberts said the arrests were necessary.
"One of the things we have to take into account is the potential for violence, the potential to flee," he said.
Also indicted were Peter Joseph Messina, 50, of Roseville; Joseph Messina, 48, of Macomb; David Aceto, 40, of Roseville; Thomas Mackey, 49, of Clinton Township; Wayne Joseph Kassab, 49, of Sterling Heights; John William Manettas, 51, of Harrison Township; William John Manettas, 27, of St. Clair Shores; Ronald S. Yourofsky, 64, of Warren; Alan H. Russell, 54, of Sterling Heights, and Virginia Nava, 36, of Roseville.
Contact JOE SWICKARD at 313-222-8769 or at jswickard@freepress.com.
Suspects' lawyers: It's small-time
March 4, 2006
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
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- Federal authorities said bettors would contact bookmakers, identifying themselves with a code.
In some cases, losing gamblers settled their debts by turning over their cars, which were then sold and the money pocketed by the ring, the indictment said.
- Among those accused by the federal government:
- Peter Dominic Tocco, 55, of Troy: alleged manager of sports bookmaking operation; nephew of Detroit Mafia boss Jack Tocco.
- Peter Tocco, 27, of Macomb Township: son of Peter Dominic Tocco; alleged bookie.
- Jack V. Giacalone, 55, of West Bloomfield: accused of racketeering conspiracy and threats to collect debts; son of Mafia capo Vito (Billy Jack) Giacalone and nephew of the late capo Anthony (Tony Jack) Giacalone.
- Dominic Corrado, 35, of Glen Ellyn, Ill.: accused of racketeering and gambling conspiracy; son of capo Anthony (the Bull) Corrado, who died in prison while serving a gambling sentence.
A 15th suspect was arrested at his home in suburban Chicago.
Although he said the gambling ring was run by the nephew of Detroit mob boss Jack Tocco and included the sons of two Mafia captains, U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy III stopped short of calling it a Mafia-run operation
The roundup came as authorities unsealed a 13-count indictment describing a network of bookies who took bets from across the country. Bettors used codes to identify themselves, prosecutors said.
The operation laundered money through a used car lot, Patrick Auto Sales on 8 Mile in Warren, hiding gambling profits in the business' books and accepting cars as payment for debts, the indictment said.
It also said the operation had an enforcement arm to threaten losing gamblers into paying. It stopped short of saying whether any threats were carried out.
Murphy said the indictment -- alleging racketeering, money laundering, gambling conspiracy and extortion -- wraps up an investigation begun in 1998 that was part of a federal drive against organized crime. The government seeks forfeiture of almost $6 million in real estate and cash as criminal proceeds from the operation.
The suspects were arraigned Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court and released on personal bond. Among them was Peter Dominic Tocco, 55, of Troy, who investigators say managed the ring.
The courtroom scene was reminiscent of earlier government attempts to rein in Detroit's crime families, with the cream of the Detroit criminal defense bar chatting with handcuffed clients while agents and federal prosecutors watched from the gallery.
In the late 1990s, federal authorities in Detroit prosecuted a conspiracy trial against some of the old guard of local organized crime.
That case ended with numerous convictions and restored some glamour to the anticrime force that had seen its prosecution of an alleged gambling conspiracy involving the Wolverine Golf Club end in a wave of acquittals.
The indictment unsealed Friday hit some of the old guard's sons and nephews.
Authorities said Tocco is the nephew of Detroit crime boss Jack Tocco; Dominic Corrado, 35, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., is the son of the late Anthony (the Bull) Corrado, and Jack Giacalone, 56, of West Bloomfield, is the son of Vito (Billy Jack) Giacalone.
Tocco's son Peter, 27, of Macomb also was arraigned.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Roberts would not say how much money flowed through the operation, but "from the FBI's perspective in Detroit, it's probably the biggest gambling investigation we've got going on" in terms of profits.
Most of the defense lawyers in court Friday declined comment for publication, but some scoffed at the dramatic early-morning sweeps as federal showboating in a case that has been percolating for years.
"We're losing the battle on terrorism but we've got enough time and enough agents to go out and arrest a self-described degenerate gambler," said David Griem, a former federal prosecutor, representing Vincenzo Bronzino, 40, of Macomb Township.
Griem said four agents came to pick up Bronzino, and his wife of only several weeks "freaked out when they hit the door."
"My client's guilty of gambling, but not guilty of money laundering," Griem said
Roberts said the arrests were necessary.
"One of the things we have to take into account is the potential for violence, the potential to flee," he said.
Also indicted were Peter Joseph Messina, 50, of Roseville; Joseph Messina, 48, of Macomb; David Aceto, 40, of Roseville; Thomas Mackey, 49, of Clinton Township; Wayne Joseph Kassab, 49, of Sterling Heights; John William Manettas, 51, of Harrison Township; William John Manettas, 27, of St. Clair Shores; Ronald S. Yourofsky, 64, of Warren; Alan H. Russell, 54, of Sterling Heights, and Virginia Nava, 36, of Roseville.
Contact JOE SWICKARD at 313-222-8769 or at jswickard@freepress.com.