top
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

MOB OWNS FBI IN YOUNGSTOWN

by TRAFICANT
The following reflects the truthful and reliable investigation by Congressman JAMES TRAFICANT into the association between the FBI and organized crime (mafia) in Youngstown, Ohio and surrounding areas.
MOB OWNS FBI IN YOUNGSTOWN -- HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR. (Extensions of Remarks - July 11, 2002)

[Page: E1236]
---

HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.
OF OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, July 11, 2002

Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, the following reflects the truthful and reliable investigation by Congressman JAMES TRAFICANT into the association between the FBI and organized crime (mafia) in Youngstown, Ohio and surrounding areas.

In addition, FBI agent, Anthony Speranza did rape one of my constituents. The matter was adjudicated in the Northern District of Ohio Court of Judge O'Malley, where Speranza admitted to ``digital penetration'' of a woman who had suffered problems of mental instability, which under Ohio law is felony one rape.

The following facts and sources speak for themselves, making FBI-mob connections in Boston, Massachusetts look like a Rotary meeting.

TRAFICANT INVESTIGATION


JOSEPH NAPLES--JAMES PRATO
1. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Paul Calautti; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Paul Calautti murdered October 11, 1968; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

2. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Joseph DeRose; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Joseph DeRose suffered two bullet wounds May 13/14 1980. Joseph DeRose missing-murdered or in protective custody; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

3. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Robert Furey; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Robert Furey murdered April 12, 1979; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

4. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato issued a contract to kill Charles Carrabbi; Source: La Cosa Nostra underboss Angelo Lonardo's testimony under oath during a U.S. Senate hearing on organized crime (1988); Result: Charles Carrabbia missing-presumed murdered; Finding: Joseph Naples and James Prato never brought to trial.

5. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered the burning of a car belonging to a Youngstown City Councilman one Robert Spencer; Source: FBI Affidavit and Robert Spencer's Affidavit presented during a U.S. Senate hearing on organized crime (1984); Result: Robert Spencer's car fire bombed and totally destroyed. (1978/1979); Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

6. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered the burning of the Desert Inn; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Desert Inn bar burned; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

7. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered numerous other arsons and bombings; source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Numerous other arsons and bombings occurred; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.

8. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato had influence with Sheriff Yarash and associates around Sheriff Tablack; Source: FBI Affidavits. Affidavit and Testimony submitted during U.S. Senate hearing on organized crime (1984); Result: Organized crime activities continued; Finding: Joseph Naples and James Prato never brought to trial.

9. Fact: James Prato gave an attempted campaign contribution to Sheriff candidate James Traficant; Source: FBI Affidavit--James Traficant Trial. Testimony submitted during U.S. Senate hearing on Organized Crime (1984); Result: James Traficant acquitted; Finding: James Prato never brought to trial.

10. Fact: James Prato gave an $80,000 campaign contribution to Sheriff candidate Terrence Sheidel; Source: Michael Terlecky Affidavit. Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator Frederick V. Hudach; Result: Terrence Sheidel advertised aggressively during his campaign for Sheriff; Finding: James Prato never brought to trial due to no grand jury being assembled.

11 Fact: Informant who wished to stay anonymous for now revealed the following: (1) On or about 1979 and 1980 Terry Sheidel, a faculty member at Youngstown State University who taught Criminal Justice courses, was running for Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff at the same time James A. Traficant was seeking the same position; (2) Informant advised Terry Sheidel that he did not have enough money to forge an effective campaign against James A. Traficant and that he (informant) could ask Lenny Strollo for campaign money for him (Sheidel). Terry Sheidel agreed to informant's recommendation to ask Lenny Strollo for campaign money; (3) Informant met with Lenny Strollo and he (Strollo) gave him (informant) $80,000 in cash for Terry Sheidel's campaign for Mahoning County Sheriff. Strollo also told informant that if Terry Sheidel needed more money he would give him another $80,000; (4) Informant felt that James A. Traficant had to take the money from whoever gave him the money to keep it off the streets or it would have certainly been used against him to keep him from becoming the Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff; (5) As far as informant knows, Terry Sheidel never received the second $80,000 from Lenny Strollo. James A. Traficant won the election.

Source: Michael Terlecky Affidavit. Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach; Result: Terry Sheidel never investigated by FBI; James Traficant investigated by FBI; Finding: Incident never thoroughly investigated by FBI Agents before bringing James Trafficant to trial.


STANLEY PETERSON AS FBI AGENT
1. Fact: Isabella Callard witnessed her husband Joe Ezzo giving money to FBI Agent Stanley Peterson so that he would permit gambling and other illegal activity to continue; Source: Isabella Callard Affidavit; Result: Illegal activity continued; Finding: Stanley Peterson retired from the FBI and subsequently became the Chief of Police of Youngstown, Ohio.


STANLEY PETERSON/FRIEND OF THE MOB/CHIEF OF POLICE
1. Fact: The FBI was informed that a candidate for Mayor of Younstown, Emanuel Catsoules stated that in 1978 a friend of organized crime wanted Stanley Peterson to be his Chief of Police.

2. Fact: The FBI was informed that a candidate for Mayor of Youngstown, Thomas A. Shipka, was contacted by a friend of the mob who would support his campaign based on

[Page: E1237]
certain conditions, one of which that he would appoint Stanley Peterson as his Chief of Police.
3. Fact: Thomas A. Shipka turned over his information to the FBI and actually brought 13-14 police officers who had first-hand knowledge of gambling joints, prostitution, and other activities that they alleged Mr. Peterson was protecting.

4. Fact: Allegation of Mr. Peterson being involved in an illegal wiretap of a rival mob group was given to the strike force.

5. Fact: The FBI was informed that in 1969, Jack Hunter, a candidate for Mayor of Youngstown, was contacted by an intermediator representing organized crime figures who were well known. They wanted veto powers over Chief of Police in exchange for campaign funds. A high ranking official in the Sheriff's Department was to act as the bagman.

6. Fact: The FBI was informed that in 1971 an intermediary for organized crime contacted Mayor of Youngstown, Jack Hunter, expressing a desire for him to name Stanley Peterson as Chief of Police.

7. Fact: On two separate occasions during the period that Stanely Peterson was Chief of Police of Youngstown, concerned citizens took substantial evidence to the local FBI office implicating Peterson in promoting or protecting organized criminal activity in the City of Youngstown. The Youngstown Police Department took evidence to the FBI identifying over 30 specific sites where organized criminal activity was being permitted to operate within the city.

8. Fact: Evidence was presented to the FBI that Chief of Police, Stanley Peterson was disciplining certain members of the Youngstown Police Department to discourage them from taking action against operations being conducted by LCN figures within the city.

Source: Affidavits and testimony submitted during U.S. Senate hearings on Organized Crime (1984); Result: The FBI said they were aware of the information about Stanley Peterson and that they investigated same, however, the nature of the information lacked specificity; Finding: The evidence against Stanley Peterson was never brought before a Grand Jury.

1. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato who were aligned with the Sebastian John LaRocca Mafia Family located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ran the organized crime faction in the Mahoning County, Ohio area which included: conspiracy to commit murder, murder for hire, aggravated murder, arson, bombings, burglary-criminal trespass, extortion, illegal gambling, numerous illegal campaign contributions, promoted the hiring of certain police officers, ``signed off'' on key elected officials, sheriffs, prosecutors and mayors.

Source: FBI Affidavits. Testimony, written statements and affidavits submitted to the U.S. Senate hearings on Organized Crime (1984 and 1988).

2. Fact: An informant who wished to stay anonymous for now, revealed the following: (1) Informant was a Youngstown, Ohio police officer during 1977 and 1978; (2) Informant during 1977 and 1978 worked for six months on Phillip Richley's campaign for Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. Informant felt that his campaign work for Philip Richley would bring him a patrolman to white shirt and tie promotion with the Youngstown, Ohio Police Department. After Phillip Richley won the election and became the Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, retired FBI Agent Stanley Peterson became the Youngstown, Ohio Chief of Police. Informant became angry when he was made aware that he was not going to get his expected promotion. Informant then contacted Lenny Strollo, who at the time along with Vic Calautti and Joey Naples reported to James Prato. Immediately after informant told Strollo of what happened to him, Strollo made a telephone call. Immediately following Strollo's telephone call, Strollo told informant he was promoted to a white shirt and tie promotion. Informant did not hear Strollo's telephone conversation, however, he strongly feels that Strollo talked to Youngstown, Ohio Chief of Police, Stanley Peterson, the retired FBI Agent; (3) Informant revealed that when Stanley Peterson was an FBI Agent he was often seen at Standard Motors, 901 Andrews Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio where mafia affiliated often met. Informant said that FBI Agent Stanley Peterson ``had a key to the place.'' Informant also stated that Stanley Peterson was Joey Naples' man.

Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach; Result: The evidence against Stanley Peterson never brought before a Grand Jury; Finding: Stanley Peterson, friend of the mob.


LENINE STROLLO/FRANK FASLINE--TELEPHONE CONVERSATION, NOVEMBER 23, 1996
Fact: Lenine Strollo told Frank Fasline during a November 23, 1996 telephone conversation: that FBI Agent Robert Kroner was on Joseph Naples payroll; that FBI Agent Robert Kroner said in essence that he has lots of friends, that they can do whatever they want to do in this valley as long as they cooperate with him; that the FBI got away with illegal activity in the Mahoning Valley and the FBI was planning to get away with illegal activity again; that the FBI got involved in illegal activity and that the FBI wanted to make him (Strollo) a scapegoat again.

Source: FBI transcript of telephone wiretap titled Government Exhibit #4; Result: Lenine Strollo recanted above statements. Lenine Strollo in a plea bargain kept over $10 million in assets; Finding: Lenine Strollo traded the truth in exchange for his assets.


ASSOCIATE OF LENINE STROLLO PROFFER
Fact: (1) He caught Youngstown Police following him in Campbell and he heard that the FBI was across the road, in the mill with binoculars. Paulie told him not to worry about it because they had an ``inside guy'' in FBI. (Page 4); (2) Lenny Strollo told him about Biondillo running stags in the City of Youngstown and they wondered how he was able to do it. Lenny Strollo told him he heard that money went from Biondillo through Vic Calautti to the Randall Wellington campaign and that Biondillo had to have the okay from Wellington to be able to hold stags inside the city of Youngstown. (Page 45). He said that he heard that Biondillo paid $25,000 to Vic Calautti to donate to Wellington's campaign. (Page 49); (3) Lenny Strollo and he thought that the guys at the Center (Youngstown United Music) were doing business with FBI Agent Kroner as they were operating without any pressure and therefore must have had the FBI's okay. Lenny or Danny Strollo told him that Biondillo was talking to and dealing with the FBI. (Page 58); (4) Lenny Strollo told him that an agent told someone who told Strollo that FBI Agent Kroner and those guys were on the Naples payroll for years. He heard from Strollo that someone went to Kroner's father to see if he could control Kroner. That person found out that his father had no control over what he did. The reason for this was to see if Lenny Strollo could have control over Kroner like Naples did.

Source: The Proffer of a Lenine Strollo Associate given at the Euclid City Jail, Euclid, Ohio on 5-28, 6-4, 6-9, 6-30, 9-1, 11-13, 1998 in the presence of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, FBI Special Agents and a Special Agent of the IRS; Result: Information within Proffer suppressed; Finding: Obstruction of Justice-Misprision by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Special Agent FBI and Special Agent IRS.

Fact: Informant, who wished to stay anonymous because of fear for himself and family revealed the following: during the early fall of 1997, Lenny Strollo, reputed leader of Youngstown, Ohio Organized Crime, told me at his now closed restaurant, at the northwest corner of Calla Road near Market Street, North Lima, Ohio that Joey Naples had told him the following: (a) he (Joey Naples) owned the FBI; and (b) he (Joey Naples) made payoffs to the FBI through Special Agent Lynch.

Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator Frederick V. Hudach; Result: FBI cover-up; Finding: FBI Agents on Joey Naples' payroll.


JUDICIAL CORRUPTION
Fact: Five separate crimes reported to the Youngstown office of the FBI and the Department of Justice, and three separate crimes reported to the Youngstown office of the FBI and IRS who used their authority in aid of and in furtherance to conceal the reported crimes by refusing to investigate and prosecute members of the bench and bar in both Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, Ohio; Source: Robert A. Frank Affidavits; Result: FBI and Office of the U.S. Attorney refused to totally investigate and prosecute; Finding: FBI, IRS and office of U.S. Attorney has carried out and made effective a pattern of selective prosecution and in some cases became an accessory after the fact.

Fact: An Investigative Chronology Exposing Extortion within the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court System of four Defendant's families for buyouts from prison was presented to both the FBI Offices in Youngstown and Cleveland and to the IRS Office in Youngstown; Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach. Affidavit of Carl Stere; Result: No action taken by the United States Department of Justice; Finding: Selective Prosecution. The FBI/IRS/U.S. Attorneys will not prosecute their criminal friends for political reasons.

FBI refused to help a citizen of Trumbull County, Ohio who was being extorted by members of the Aryan Brotherhood. If the extortion money was not paid the citizen's son would be killed in prison; Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach; Result: Troopers of the Ohio State Highway Patrol saved the life of the son of the citizen and arrested members of the Aryan Brotherhood; Finding: Members of the FBI were deliberately indifferent to their jurisdictional responsibility.

Fact: Two Investigative Summaries exposing police perjury and a bogus autopsy which occurred in Trumbull County, Ohio was submitted to Members of the FBI and the Office of Professional Responsibility; Source: Correspondence between Congressional Lead Staff Investigator Frederick V. Hudach and members of the FBI and member of Office of Professional Responsibility; Result: Assistant U.S. Attorney decided they did not have jurisdiction; Finding: Assistant U.S. Attorney practiced selective prosecution.
by TRAFICANT
HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT , JR.
OF OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, January 23, 2002

Mr. TRAFICANT . Mr. Speaker, Frank Sohaiby, one of my constituents, is eighty years old, and is a very wise man who has written a poem about politics. Frank's insights deserve to be commended and are hereby memorialized in the public record. Frank's poem follows:

``POLITICS''
Who gets what for who and how,
That's the name of the game,
And really not for one who's tame,
While seeking fame ends up lame.
The ``haves'' are the conservative lot,
They want to keep the whole pot,
Ask why and they'll answer, ``why not?''
Fair to them but fairness not.
The ``have nots'' on the other hand,
Are the ones that change demand,
For this they're called a radical band,
And many of them in jail may land.
Many of us don't like the game,
But we're all in it just the same,
Some of us in it mighty strong,
As leaders are quite often wrong.
The country's problems are many fold,
Who amongst us need be told?
Watergate--hate and lies,
Prices ever on the rise,
A war that no one seems to want,
Crime in the streets--cops killed on beats
Scraggly long hairs and movie bares,
Dopes and dope addicts,
Demonstrators, agitators, and would be emancipators.
If you don't like the way the country is run
Get into politics--join the fun,
Why be a follower--set the pace,
Who knows, you might even win the race!
by Jeff Milum (jeffmilum [at] hotmail.com)
Does anyone remember James "Mountain" Morrison and/or Anthony Antone and what happened to them? Trying to write a novel
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network