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Alleged mobster 'Junior' Gotti arrested
Wednesday, 6 August, 2008
John "Junior" Gotti has been arrested on a murder conspiracy charge, and is expected to make an appearance in a federal court in Manhattan. (AAP)
The alleged former head of New York's infamous Gambino crime family has been indicted on federal racketeering and murder charges in the US government's latest attempt to get the suspected mafia boss behind bars.
John "Junior" Gotti, 44, was arrested on Tuesday at his mansion in suburban Long Island as indictments against him and five other men allegedly associated with the Gambino crime family were unsealed in Florida.
Earlier this year, Nick Lazaredes reported on the Mafia take down, which involved one of the biggest mob related arrests in US history.
Video Blog: The Real Underbelly
The Mafia Take Down
The indictment charges Gotti with trafficking in cocaine and involvement in three murders committed in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
It alleges that Gotti, who claims to have given up a life of crime, occupied various roles in the Gambino crime family including "de facto boss" through July 2008.
'Array of criminal activity'
The ring engaged in "an array of criminal activity including murder, robbery, bribery, kidnapping, extortion, gambling, illegal drug trafficking, loansharking, collecting unlawful debts, jury tampering, victim and witness tampering, burglary, home invasions, aggravated assaults and batteries, and money laundering," the indictment says.
"Mr Gotti absolutely denies any involvement in the three homicides," his lawyer Charles Carnesi told the court. "What you have here is a group of law enforcement who are disgruntled."
"Gotti has not been in organised crime since 1988. He is living alone with his family, that's all he wants to do."
WNBC television footage earlier showed the alleged ex-capo, son of the so-called "Dapper Don" John Gotti senior, being led in handcuffs from a black car by agents wearing suits.
Thick-set and wearing a blue tennis shirt, Gotti looked impassive.
Attempt number four
This is the fourth time federal authorities have tried to put away Gotti. Three previous attempts in 2005 and 2006 collapsed in hung juries and mistrials, prompting prosecutors to declare they would give up.
"It never ends. He is ready to fight again," said Peter Gotti, the brother of the accused, who accompanied him to court on Tuesday.
Gotti is alleged to have inherited a top seat in New York's mafia world from his father, although he later claimed to have abandoned the life, which he said was full of "wolves" and "treachery."
The bloody career of "Dapper Don" came to an end in 1992 when he was sentenced to life in prison, after a wiretapping operation and testimony from former associate Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. Gotti died behind bars in 2002.
John "Junior" Gotti, 44, was arrested on Tuesday at his mansion in suburban Long Island as indictments against him and five other men allegedly associated with the Gambino crime family were unsealed in Florida.
Earlier this year, Nick Lazaredes reported on the Mafia take down, which involved one of the biggest mob related arrests in US history.
Video Blog: The Real Underbelly
The Mafia Take Down
The indictment charges Gotti with trafficking in cocaine and involvement in three murders committed in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
It alleges that Gotti, who claims to have given up a life of crime, occupied various roles in the Gambino crime family including "de facto boss" through July 2008.
'Array of criminal activity'
The ring engaged in "an array of criminal activity including murder, robbery, bribery, kidnapping, extortion, gambling, illegal drug trafficking, loansharking, collecting unlawful debts, jury tampering, victim and witness tampering, burglary, home invasions, aggravated assaults and batteries, and money laundering," the indictment says.
"Mr Gotti absolutely denies any involvement in the three homicides," his lawyer Charles Carnesi told the court. "What you have here is a group of law enforcement who are disgruntled."
"Gotti has not been in organised crime since 1988. He is living alone with his family, that's all he wants to do."
WNBC television footage earlier showed the alleged ex-capo, son of the so-called "Dapper Don" John Gotti senior, being led in handcuffs from a black car by agents wearing suits.
Thick-set and wearing a blue tennis shirt, Gotti looked impassive.
Attempt number four
This is the fourth time federal authorities have tried to put away Gotti. Three previous attempts in 2005 and 2006 collapsed in hung juries and mistrials, prompting prosecutors to declare they would give up.
"It never ends. He is ready to fight again," said Peter Gotti, the brother of the accused, who accompanied him to court on Tuesday.
Gotti is alleged to have inherited a top seat in New York's mafia world from his father, although he later claimed to have abandoned the life, which he said was full of "wolves" and "treachery."
The bloody career of "Dapper Don" came to an end in 1992 when he was sentenced to life in prison, after a wiretapping operation and testimony from former associate Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. Gotti died behind bars in 2002.
