Friends of Ours

Cops: Student Chemist Breaks Bad

Sounds like somebody may have been watching too many episodes of the AMC series Breaking Bad in which high school chemistry teacher Walter White turns to cooking meth to pay the bills.

In Hanover, NH a Dartmouth College grad student with a chemistry background has been charged with running a meth lab out of his apartment as reported by Philip Caulfield for the Daily News.

Life imitating art or art imitating life?

Federal Judge Denies Bail To Francis Guerra

Francis "B.F." Guerra, a reputed Colombo mobster charged earlier this month "with two gangland murders and the shakedown of a pizzeria," will remain in jail pending trial as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News:  "Magistrate Cheryl Pollak ruled Monday that federal prosecutors had convinced her that Francis (BF) Guerra is a danger to the community and must remain in jail."

Federal prosecutors charge Guerra with killing Michael Devine in 1992 for dating the wife of reputed ex-acting boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico, and involvement in the 1993 hit on Joseph Scopo who had aligned with the Orena faction against the Persicos during the Colombo family's dysfunctional war.  Michael Persico, son of reputed boss Carmine "The Snake" Persico and brother of Allie Boy, is charged with ordering the hit on Scopo.

Conrad Black Made Friends With Wise Guys In Jail

Conrad Black talks about life behind bars in a piece by Bryan Burrough for the upcoming October issue of Vanity Fair, and the former media mogul convicted on fraud charges claims he "quickly developed alliances with the Mafia people":

He recalls the welcome he received from a senior member of the Genovese crime family: "No one will bother you here. If you catch a cold, we will find out who you got it from. You know, we have much in common .… We are industrialists."

And after providing Sir Conrad Black with protection maybe the mobster one day will call in the favor.

Among those serving time at the low security Coleman Federal Correction Complex in central Florida where Black was incarcerated is reputed ex-acting Genovese boss Daniel "the Lion" Leo although there's nothing to indicate this is to whom the fraudster was referring.

On The Tube

Easy Rider:  Vladimir Putin on a Harley Davidson three wheeler

Beat Boxers:  apparent street punk seemingly attempts to rob street musicians

Foul Ball:  young Mets fan catches it in the face

Post Op:  a woozy Emile Hirsch after getting his wisdom teeth removed

Motorcycle Club News

***  Eight individuals, including four reputed Sons of Silence members, are variously indicted on meth trafficking, money laundering and firearm charges in Indianapolis, IN.

***  Police in San Diego, CA are seeking four Hells Angels for their suspected roles "in the kidnapping and savage beating of another club member and a club associate in 2007 and 2010":  "five other members of the Hells Angels have already been arraigned and are set for trial in the beatings."

***  Two Hells Angels arrested and another two sought for their alleged roles in the beat down last June of a rival biker during a tattoo conference at a casino in Lake County, CA which was captured on the establishment's surveillance camera.

***  The former president of the Ventura County, CA chapter of Hells Angels has been indicted with three others "in connection with the firebombing of two tattoo parlors three years ago."

***  Hells Angels sues fashion label for trademark infringement over t-shirt sold through online retailers which includes the club's name and iconic death's head. 

***  Dozens of motorcycle clubs in Australia band together through the United Motorcycle Council Victoria to push back against new laws and police raids targeting bikers, and "police sources say it is seeking legitimacy by recruiting law-abiding clubs such as the God Squad and Vietnam Veterans."

Councilman Killed After Finding Poppy Field

A manhunt is underway for Aaron Bassler whom police suspect shot councilman Jere Melo from Fort Bragg, CA after the well-liked politician discovered "a garden of opium poppies" in the woods which presumably belonged to the killer as reported by Randi Rossmann for The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Mexico Arrests 5 Suspects In Casino Arson

Mexican authorities say five Los Zetas members have been arrested for their alleged roles in torching the Casino Royale in Monterrey last week which killed 53 individuals, and apparently they "carried out the attack because the owners of the casino had not complied with their extortion demands" as reported by CNN.

On The Tube

London Riots:  liberals claim sentences too tough on street punks

Hurricane Irene:  the view from space

Social Reject:  Britney Spears declines a smooch from Lady Gaga

Getaway Driver: Ryan Gosling in Drive

Blast From The Past: 1980s St. Louis Mob War

Following the death of boss Anthony Giordano 31 years ago on Aug. 29, 1980 rival mobsters battled for control over the underworld in St. Louis, MO through a campaign of car bombings, and Tim O'Neil from STL Today takes a stoll down memory lane: "peaceful transitions are hard to come by in the crime trade," and "the quiet after Giordano's death lasted 19 days."

NYT: What Was The FBI Doing With Rossetti?

The editorial board of The New York Times has joined those in questioning the FBI on its alleged long-standing use of reputed New England mob capo Mark Rossetti as an informant:  "the bureau needs to explain how it justified working with Mr. Rossetti and why it signed off on any of his crimes."  Rossetti was charged last October by the Massachusetts Attorney General with running a 30-member crew involving drug trafficking, gambling and loansharking, and further is a suspect in six murders according to a law enforcement source.

Weekly Gang Roundup

***  Another MS-13 member pleads guilty to pimping out children in Alexandria, VA.

***  A reputed MS-13 member is wanted as a suspect in the stabbing death of a 69-year-old man in Denver, CO.

***  A 14-year-old-boy shot dead execution-style in Chicago, IL:  "the boy's guardian insisted the teen wasn't a gang member, but police said he was."

***  Members from rival gangs form factions to distribute drugs on local city blocks in Chicago, IL:  "by aligning with factions, individual gang members keep more money from drug sales than they do in traditional gangs, where gang leaders take a larger share of the profits."

***  In Aurora, IL a special prosecutor is appointed to seek civil injunctions to prohibit gang members from associating with each other in designated zones.

***  A 22-year-old Crips leader gets nine life sentences for violent crime spree, and he still faces murder rap for which he could get the death penalty.

***  Five alleged Crips members charged with shooting at a cop in Albany, NY.

***  Suspected Crips members arrested in a Brooklyn, NY park after tweeting the gathering.

***  The reputed leader for the Sex, Money, Murder set of the Bloods gang in Newark, NJ has been arrested on weapons charges, and police say the seized weapons "may have been involved in mass shootings this summer and a double homicide last year."

***  The Zellwood Boyz and the Terrell Boys are cleared from the streets in Lake and Orange Counties, FL:  "U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill said both gangs claim affiliation with the Bloods," and further said "members of these gangs face charges of drug-related homicides, home invasions, armed robbery, witness intimidation, trafficking of narcotics."

***  Rival Latino gangs are engaged in an all out war King County, WA:  "the rivals are all splinter groups of the Sureños, a violent California street gang aligned with the Mexican Mafia."

Sinalo Cartel Moves Into Meth Production

This is good news for American tweakers.

The Sinaloa cartel headed by Forbes-listed billionaire Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is diversifying its product line to include methamphetamine in addition to cocaine as reported by Mark Stevenson for The Associated Press.  The 800-pound gorilla of the drug world is moving into the ice market "on a massive scale" after Mexico largely dismantled La Familia which had been the top supplier.

It just goes to show that going after the supplier is largely useless in the war on drugs as long as the masses still clamor for more because someone always will step into the void to meet demand.

And God knows the American demand for drugs is insatiable.

On The Tube

Homerun King:  Barry Bonds strikes out in bid for new trial

Murder Suspect:  Javaris Crittenton charged with shooting more than hoops

Bar Fight:  A pair of LSU players charged with illegal contact off the gridiron

Gonzo Journalism:  Johnny Depp in Hunter S. Thompson's The Rum Diary

FDNY Firefighters In Hot Water

Two of New York's bravest are in legal trouble.

One firefighter who posed for a non-FDNY hunk calendar has been busted for allegedly "beating and biting his transgender model girlfriend" as reported by Melissa Grace for the Daily News, and another has been charged "with acting as the 'muscle guy' for a home delivery cocaine service" before joining the department as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News.

FBI: Where Are You, Little Tony?

There have been more than 1,100 mob hits in Chicagoland, and the overwhelming majority of them remain unsolved.  After all, it's called organized crime for a reason.

One of the more recent cold cases involves the 2006 disappearance of west suburban mob boss Anthony "Little Tony" Zizzo.

Although some suspect that Little Tony was whacked after feuding over the video poker racket with reputed Cicero boss Michael "the Large Guy" Sarno, the FBI now is exploring whether he intentionally went into hiding and is offering a $10,000 reward "for information leading to Little Tony's whereabouts" as reported by Chuck Goudie for WLS.

Come out, come out, wherever you are Little Tony!  (That is, if you can hear the call.)

The Large Guy was convicted last December for his role in the unrelated bombing of a legitimate video poker firm which was competing against the Outfit, and through his attorney previously has denied any responsibility for the fate of Little Tony.