Decologero was a member of the Patriarca crime family. He and his crew helped control a portion of the drug trade in Boston.
He was convicted of RICO, robbery, drug dealing, and other conspiracy charges. He also was convicted of witness tampering.
He was a member of the Patriarca crime family
The Patriarca crime family was one of the most powerful and well-organized in New England. Its base of operations was in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded by Gaspare Messina in 1916, the family increased its power and wealth through loan sharking, gambling, and bootlegging.
In the mid-1990s, the Patriarca faction under Francis Salemme became rivals with another faction that was led by Enrico Ponzo. The two factions fought for control of the mafia in the Boston area.
On October 21, 1996, Paul A. ordered his crew, including John Jr. and Thomas Regan, to rob a drug dealer named Albert Sapochetti. They beat Sapochetti and then bound him with duct tape.
This is a similar incident to that of the murder of 19-year-old Aislin Silva, which was committed in 1996 by members of the DeCologero crew. The crew feared that Silva would testify against them if they did not kill her.
In addition to the extortion charges, the jury also found that Paul A. committed armed robbery and kidnaping under the Hobbs Act and racketeering acts under RICO. He was convicted of these crimes, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
He was convicted of extortion
Extortion is a serious crime that can carry felony charges in most states. The amount of money or property that is extorted can be used to determine the severity of the charge.
Intent is also important to a prosecution in extortion cases. The defendant’s words are often enough to show intent, but the circumstances and facts surrounding the threat are also key.
A jury convicted Paul j. decologero of extortion under the Hobbs Act, which requires proof that a public official did something under color of office to cause the giving of benefits. The offense is a felony, but the punishment can range from a fine to imprisonment.
The extortion case against him was brought by the government after he was arrested in 1996 for the murder of Aislin Silva. He and his crew were trying to prevent her from talking to the police about guns that they had hidden in her apartment. In order to ensure that she did not talk to the police, they arranged for her to overdose on heroin. Another mobster then broke her neck and buried her in the woods.
He was convicted of the 1996 murder of Aislin Silva
During the trial, the jury found Paul A. and his crew guilty of racketeering acts under RICO, including conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, robbery of another person, and kidnaping. They were also convicted of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a violent crime.
The government alleged that the crew had planned to kill Aislin Silva after her mother reported that she had been seen with two police officers in her Medford apartment. The jury heard testimony that the crew made significant efforts to keep Silva away from the police while weighing the likelihood that she would betray them. They reassured Silva repeatedly that their lawyers were out of town but that they would be back soon to take care of everything.
At trial, DiCenso testified that he was present at the first meeting of the crew right after they discovered that Silva had been talking to the police. He and Paul J. decologero debriefed the crew about her being questioned by the police and that they discussed their plan to prevent her from talking further with them. As for Pavone, he participated in the scheme by driving DiCenso and Silva to New York, renting a room for them, and attending meetings where decisions about Silva’s fate were made.
He was convicted of the murder of Whitey Bulger
James “Whitey” Bulger, a feared Boston mobster whose gangland reign made him an FBI target, was beaten to death Tuesday at a West Virginia prison where he was serving a life sentence. The 89-year-old renowned snitch was found unresponsive in his cell at US Penitentiary Hazelton.
The infamous gangster was transferred to the prison in October after being arrested in California. He was in poor health and confined to a wheelchair.
Two men suspected in the gangster’s murder were Fotios Geas, a former West Springfield man with mob ties, and Paul J. DeCologero, a Lowell man with family connections to violent crime in the Boston area.
The Justice Department charged Geas, DeCologero and McKinnon with conspiracy to commit first degree murder. They also face assault resulting in serious bodily injury charges.