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

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Feds ink plea deal with Philadelphia boss Skinny Joey Merlino


http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.3903761.1522349945!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_1200/mob9n21n.jpg
Reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino has inked a plea deal just weeks after his racketeering trial ended with a hung jury, the Daily News has learned.
Merlino’s lawyers and the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office told Judge Richard Sullivan they “have agreed on the terms of a pretrial disposition” and “have entered into a plea agreement,” according to a court document filed late Wednesday.
Sullivan has also received a copy of this signed plea deal, the filing also revealed.
The exact terms of the agreement were not immediately available.
Merlino’s change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for April 27.
Merlino went on trial in Manhattan Federal Court this January on health care fraud charges.
On Feb. 20, after three days of deliberations, the jury wrote Sullivan a note stating “We the juror(s) have continued deliberating and are at a continued impasse…Unfortunately, we will be unable to come to a consensus on any of the four counts.”
Merlino, who reputedly beat three murder raps, has been convicted in federal court twice before, including a 2001 conviction for racketeering and a 1990 conviction for theft.
He also has prior New Jersey court convictions for violating the casino control act and assault in 1998 and 1984, respectively.
If Merlino follows through with his deal, it would be the first time he pleaded guilty to a crime.
Merlino’s lawyer, John Meringolo, declined to comment.
Prosecutors did not comment.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/plea-deal-inked-alleged-philly-mob-boss-racketeering-case-article-1.3903762


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