Friends of Ours

Shock: Reputed Mobster Gets Probation

Reputed Bonanno soldier Armando Rea faced up to a year in prison after pleading guilty to an extortion charge which involved using his mob connections to obtain a union job at the Javits Center but U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein let him off with probation as reported by Mitchel Maddux for the New York Post.  That'll teach him!

One thing's for sure:  in the so-called criminal justice system where some defendants are more equal than others it's better to be an Italian tied to the mob than a black tied to a gang.

Feds Punt On Armando Rea

The case against reputed Bonanno soldier Armando Rea started with a bang but ended with a whimper.

In October 2010 the feds accused Rea with the 1980 murder of Genovese gangster Gerard "Papa Bear" Pappa only later to drop the charge with prejudice, and now prosecutors have wrapped up a plea agreement pursuant to which Rea will face no more than one year in prison when he is sentenced in May for "using his Mafia contacts to obtain a union job at the Javits Center more than 20 years ago" as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News.

Papa Bear Hit Dropped Against Armando Rea

Last October the feds charged reputed Bonanno crime family soldier Armando Rea with the 1980 murder of Genovese gangster Gerard "Papa Bear" Pappa; however, in a superceding indictment which was unsealed yesterday the charge for Papa Bear's murder was gone as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News.  Nevertheless, Rea still faces a January 31 racketeering trial for his alleged roles in extorting Teamsters Local 807 and a failed 1992 murder plot against reputed Bonanno mobster "Crazy Charlie."

Legal Eagle For Armando Rea

Last month the feds charged reputed Bonanno soldier Armando Rea with the 1980 murder of Genovese soldier Gerard "Papa Bear" Pappa, and they have a theory on how he went from "collecting unemployment in a bare Las Vegas flophouse with just $36 in his pocket to hiring Maserati-driving lawyer" John Meringolo as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News: "'It appears a third party is funding Mr. Meringolo's legal representation of Rea,' U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Geddes wrote to Judge Jack Weinstein, requesting a hearing." Meringolo's blue Maserati was spotted in the Brooklyn driveway of Ronald Carlucci, and federal prosecutors want to explore whether the reputed Bonanno member and retired mozzarella importer is paying for Rea's defense which they contend may pose a potential conflict of interest for Meringolo.

Mob Drama Behind Papa Bear’s Murder

Earlier this month the feds charged reputed Bonanno soldier Armando Rea with the 1980 murder of Genovese soldier Gerard "Papa Bear" Pappa, and Jerry Capeci reports on the story's intriguing twists for The Huffington Post. Rea allegedly committed the murder when he was just a wee wannabe on the orders of Genovese boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante and with the urging by Genovese capo Frank "Funzuola" Tieri. Apparently, Papa Bear had accumulated too many violations of mob rules: "These included the unsanctioned murders of two Colombo mobsters earlier that year, and most foolishly, charges of not sharing proceeds of several major scams with his mob superiors."