Updated news on the Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, Lucchese and Colombo Organized Crime Families of New York City.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Police may have used intercepted Blackberry messages in case of Montagna murder


A new technique police allegedly used in the investigation of the murder of mafia boss Salvatore Montagna is being called a first by law experts.

A media report states the evidence involved in the murder case of the man charged in the murder, Raynald Desjardins, revolves around intercepted blackberry messages.

“In my experience, this is the first time police intercepted blackberry conversation,” says Marcel Danis, a criminal defence lawyer and organized crime expert.

It's not clear how police obtained the information.

Desjardins’ home in Laval was one of the 14 locations where police carried out warrants.

His blackberry phone or those of his co accused may have been seized and searched, a fact the SDQ would neither confirm nor deny.

"We do not reveal our investigation methods," Surete du Quebec Sgt. Ronald McInnis said.

The Blackberry is a favourite of criminals because the messages are encrypted but security expert Claude Sarrasin told Global News that’s not true.

“It’s not because you don’t see it, that it’s not there.”

Montagna was alleged to be the head of the Bonanno crime family in New York when he was deported to Canada, his birthplace, in 2009, after U.S. authorities realized he wasn't an American citizen.

Desjardins, was a close associate of Vito Rizzuto, who was reputed to have led the Mafia in Montreal until he was extradited to the U.S. in 2006. Rizzuto is currently serving a 10-year prison term there.

The others charged are Vittorio Mirarchi, Felice Racaniello and Jack Arthur Simpson.


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