John DeSena (Bonanno)

DeSena in 1981 / 2015

Bonanno Soldier John DeSena died in June 2022, per this notice posted at The Black Hand Forum.

His father Joseph, born in 1926 to parents from Naples and Lazio, was an Associate.

His older brother is a made member in the Lucchese Family.

 

John was identified by former FBI UCA Joseph 'Donnie Brasco' Pistone as an associate in Dominick Napolitano's crew as of 1981. 

 

The following year he began serving a three year NYS sentence for assault.

 

He served four more sentences over the following years, the final one ending in Fall 2015.

DeSena may be identical to the 'John Long Island' LNU named by CW Salvatore Vitale as a Bonanno Soldier in 2004.

His name is included in a government list of Bonanno members compiled ten years later.

Salvatore D'Ottavio (Bonanno)

Salvatore 'Sally Penn Glass' D'Ottavio was a Soldier in the Bonanno Family.

Born May 11, 1932 in New York to William (27y) and Josephine Roselli (23y). Father from Villetta Barrea comune of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Mother from Pisciotta comune of Salerno, Campania.

His father's side of the family spent time in Cumberland, New Jersey and Joliet, Illinois prior to settling in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, where Salvatore was raised. (Salvatore's grandparents were still residing in Joliet as of 1942.)

By 1935 the D'Ottavios were living at 695 Park Ave and listed on home relief.

On November 29, 1949 Salvatore was arrested by the NYPD on a forgery (motor vehicle) charge. Convicted as a wayward minor and given probation.

By April 1950 the D'Ottavios resided at 102 Floyd St (now Martin Luther King Jr. Place) in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Salvatore listed his occupation as grocery store errand boy.

On July 31, 1950 arrested by NYPD on grand larceny (auto) charge. Case dismissed.

On August 27, 1953 charged with assault and armed robbery.

His criminal record lists no further arrests until April 20, 1971, when he was picked up on charges of grand larceny and possessing burglar tools. This case was dismissed.

It's not known when D'Ottavio became involved with the Bonanno Family.

He was inducted in the late 1970s and by 1979 reported to Captain Michael Sabella.

M. Sabella

By 1979 made members under Sabella included William 'Willie the Tile Setter' Dara, Salvatore 'Sally Penn Glass' D'Ottavio, Anthony 'T.G.' Graziano, Ronald Lorenzo, Joseph 'Pepe' Marino, Stephen Maruca, Joseph Puma and Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero. The crew was comprised of both New York and Florida-based membership.

Sabella was demoted after Carmine Galante's murder in July 1979. D'Ottavio and some other crew members were placed with the newly-promoted Dominick 'Sonny Black' Napolitano.

D. Napolitano

Made members under Napolitano included Salvatore D'Ottavio, Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato, James 'Jimmy Legs' Episcopia and Benjamin Ruggiero. Probable crew members included Vito Badamo, John 'Chubby' Galante, Frank 'Cheesecake' Mistretta and Michael Sabella.

By 1981 D'Ottavio resided at 8656 20th Ave in Bath Beach, Brooklyn. Operated Penn Glass located at 8672 18th Ave, also in Bath Beach.

On March 5 of that year he and Gaetano 'Tony' Mule (42y) were indicted by the Kings County District Attorney's Office on conspiracy and loansharking charges.

Gaetano Mule was born 1938 to Sicilian parents from Alcamo, Trapani and Vallelunga, Caltanissetta. His father Gasper (1911-1983) was a nephew of Francesco Puma, a Bonanno member murdered in 1922.

On March 13, 1981 the New York Daily News reported that D'Ottavio's former Captain Michael Sabella was expected to be called before a County Grand Jury as a result of the investigation.

D'Ottavio was subsequently convicted on a final charge of conspiracy 4th degree and fined $2,000.

On May 14, 1981 Dominick Napolitano met with an associate in his crew, FBI UCA 'Donnie Brasco', at Charlie's Lounge in Brooklyn. Topics of discussion included the May 5 triple murder of Family Captains Philip 'Phil Lucky' Giaccone, Alfonse 'Sonny Red' Indelicato and Dominick 'Trin' Trinchera, as well as the planned hit of Sonny Red's son, Family Captain Anthony 'Bruno' Indelicato. After the conversation the pair was joined D'Ottavio and James Episcopia.

Three days later D'Ottavio, 'Donnie Brasco' and Stephen Maruca met inside the Little Italy Restaurant in Hallandale, Florida. Business owned by Joseph Puma who, along with Maruca, had recently been named co-Acting Captains of the Giaccone crew.

S. Maruca

Brasco recorded the conversation, which included further discussion of Alfonse Indelicato's murder:
"

Maruca: I only met Sonny Red about three times.

D'Ottavio: Nice guy, wasn't bad...he was a gentleman, but everybody makes mistakes.

Brasco: That's right.

D'Ottavio: Now, we're working under an honor system. You got to be honorable amongst our fellows, right?

Brasco: That's the way it's supposed to be.

"

Brasco's undercover role ended in late July 1981 and his status as a Federal agent was made known.

Dominick Napolitano's unwitting role in furthering the Brasco operation contributed to his disappearance the following month. (Former Bonanno Boss Joseph Massino attributed Napolitano's murder primarily to the intra-Family factionalism that persisted in the wake of the three captains murders.)

Most or all of Napolitano's crew is believed to have been placed with James Episcopia. (Episcopia was a confirmed official Captain by November 1983, although there may have been other acting / interim crew leaders.)

On March 15, 1982 D'Ottavio was called to testify before a Federal Grand Jury in Manhattan re indictments brought about by the Brasco case.

In September 1982 he was included in the FBI's list of identified Bonanno Family members.

Named as a Captain in the June 1983 Senate Chart of Bonanno membership.

He is again listed as a Captain in a 1985 Federal chart.

By the Summer of 1986 subject of an FBI RICO investigation.

By 1987 resided in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

1980s

That March he was indicted by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on multiple counts of perjury stemming from his 1982 Grand Jury testimony. Released on $50,000 bail.

By August 1987 reporting to Captain Alfred Embarrato.

A. Embarrato

Embarrato succeeded James Episcopia when the latter stepped down due to health.

L to R: D'Ottavio, Episcopia, Mauro, Mistretta, Sabella
Govt Photos / Press

Made members of Embarrato's crew included Salvatore D'Ottavio, James Episcopia, Russell Mauro, Frank Mistretta and Michael Sabella.

An October 1987 FBI report on the crew noted the following re D'Ottavio: "Presently facing perjury charges from 3/82 Grand Jury appearance where he denied knowledge of Bonanno activities and members. 11 count indictment, SDNY, Trial slated for 1/88."

By 1988 resided at 106-28 East Hudson Drive in Mystic, New Jersey.

In 1988 included in Senate list of 94 identified Bonanno Family members.

Around this time D'Ottavio was transferred to Captain James 'Big Lou' Tartaglione.

J. Tartaglione
Source: Gang Land News

By the late 1980s made members under Tartaglione included Frank Coppa, Salvatore D'Ottavio and John Palazzolo. (There were many other confirmed crew members by the early 1990s.)

Tartaglione later testified about D'Ottavio's involvement in the Summer 1981 murder plot against Bruno Indelicato: "They transferred [D'Ottavio] to me...He told me a story that he was in Florida with Lefty Guns [Ruggiero] in a car [with FBI UCA 'Donnie Brasco' and 'Tony Rossi']. When they were in the car, somebody had a detector. In that detector they had a buzzing going off. Saying that somebody was wired but we know it's none of us that are wired. We just [rented] the car or something like that. He says, we were there to look for Bruno. And ain't it funny as the time went by we come to find out they probably had a bug because they were the two FBI agents that were with us."

On June 29, 1988 began standing trial in Manhattan.

On July 7 convicted on six counts of perjury.

On January 26, 1989 sentenced by SDNY Judge John E. Strizzo to five years imprisonment and fined $30,000.

On April 30, 1990 surrendered at FCI Danbury, Connecticut.

On January 10, 1991 the facility submitted Progress Report: "...Currently, Mr. D'Ottavio is assigned to the Recreation Department where he receives outstanding work reports from his detail supervisor...Upon release from custody, Mr. D'Ottavio intends to return to the Mystic, New Jersey area...Mr. D'Ottavio has been retired since 1981."

On November 30, 1991 involved in an unspecified altercation. Punishment listed as '30 days DS, 15 Days FSGT and Recommended Disciplinary Transfer'. Disposition to be suspended for 180 days clear conduct.

On June 26, 1992 FCI Danbury issued another report: "...The majority of his leisure is spent working on legal issues relevant to his instant offense...Mr. D'Ottavio is a Recreation Aide in the Recreational Department. His work reports are consistently above average."

On February 11, 1993 transferred to FCI Allenwood, Pennsylvania.

In June 1993 included in the FBI's list of 88 identified Bonanno Family members. (The name is redacted but his details match the third entry.)

The following month D'Ottavio was released from FCI Allenwood.

He died on or around November 5, 1999 and was buried in Hicksville, Long Island.

FBI Camorra Factions Chart (1987)

On September 1, 1987 a report was sent from FBI Headquarters to all Field Offices with an LCN presence.

 

The report cites an airtel previously sent to HQ by the Cleveland Office recommending the addition of the Camorra into the Bureau's Organized Crime Information System (OCIS).

 

The report notes: "...Cleveland also requested that confirmed members of the Camorra be entered into OCIS as 'Nuova Camorra Organizzatta' or 'Nuova Famiglia' rather than the general entity known as Camorra. In addition, these two families (Nuova Camorra Organizzatta and Nuova Famiglia) are broken down into factions. The Nuova Famiglia consists of seven factions and the Nuova Camorra Organizzatta consists of 12 factions and should be entered as such."

 

The report lists the following Camorra factions:

 

Nuova Famiglia

1. Zaza Clan
2. Bardellino Clan
3. Vollaro Clan
4. Ammaturo Clan
5. Giuliano Clan
6. Nuvoletta Clan
7. Alfieri Clan 

Nuova Camorra Organizzatta

1. Saviano Clan
2. Leonardo Clan
3. Balletta Clan
4. Serra Clan
5. Ferrara Clan
6. Maisto Clan
7. Puca Clan
8. Iodice Clan
9. D'Amico Clan
10. Iafulli Clan
11. Morra Clan
12. Riccio Clan 

Small Update

Updated Post:

 

1. Alfred Embarrato Crew : Added Salvatore D'Ottavio, named as a crew member in a newer version of the report.

Cafe Italia Surveillance (1979)

FBI surveillance photographs taken October 1979 in the vicinity of Cafe Italia, a DeCavalcante Family hangout at 612 Third Ave in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Joseph Colletti (L) and John Riggi

John Riggi (1925-2015) was made the Acting Boss in December 1976 and officially took over the Family around September 1982.

Inducted in 1976, Joseph Colletti (1930-2000) was the son of Jake Colletti, a Family Captain who operated the Ribera Club located across the street.

By Fall 1979 Joseph may have replaced his father or been given a separate crew; the back of one photo notes 'Joseph Colletti?' followed by 'yes Capo'.

It's not clear when the notation was added but he held that rank at the latest by June 1982 when Anthony Rotondo was inducted.

Joseph Amato (L) and Unsub

Joseph Amato (1932-2019) was partners in Val Sand Company with longtime member Louis 'Fat Lou' LaRasso and Consigliere Stefano 'Steve' Vitabile. [Val = Vitabile / Amato / LaRasso]

An FBI report from March 1975 described Amato as a 'made LCN member', although he has yet to turn up in other sources and the DeCav CWs don't mention him in available testimony.

Louis LaRasso, Joe Amato and Unsubs

Louis LaRasso (1926-1991), who briefly served as the Family's Underboss in the late 1950s, was described by one informant as a Captain in early August 1977.

Reports from April 1978 identify him as 'the new Underboss' to John Riggi, possibly in an Acting Capacity.

Testimony from CW Vincent Palermo confirms LaRasso held the position during this period before being demoted for a second time: "[Sam] DeCavalcante at the time was the Boss. And Louie was plotting to take Sam DeCavalcante's spot. And because of that, they dropped him down from underboss to soldier instead of killing him."

In 1991 LaRasso was taken off the shelf and promoted to Captain by the imprisoned John Riggi. Members of the New York faction suspected him of again plotting against the leadership and he disappeared that November.

Joseph Ferrara and Unsubs

Joseph 'Jo Jo' Ferrara (1938-2006) was inducted around October 1977 under Riggi's sponsorship.

He was promoted to Captain around the same time as Louis LaRasso and held the rank at least into early 2001. (Charles Majuri was made Captain at the same time. Both Ferrara and Majuri had initially been 'knocked down' for membership after the books re-opened in 1976.)

John Riggi and Unsubs

Riggi took over the Family after Sam DeCavalcante stepped down in 1982. He remained Boss up to the time of his death in August 2015.

Bonanno - Springfield Surveillance (1979)

On July 10, 1979 Newark-based Bonanno member Anthony Riela flew to Los Angeles.

Two days later Bonanno Acting Boss Carmine 'Lilo' Galante was shot to death at a restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The following day, July 13, FBI Agents observed Riela at the residence of Anthony Zito located at 506 Witherspoon Drive in the Oaks neighborhood of Springfield, Illinois.

Zito, whose deceased brother Frank was the local Boss, had long been carried as a suspected member of that Family. Anthony's membership was confirmed in a report dated November 1974, three months after his brother died. (Another brother, Joseph aka Diamond Joe, was Consigliere in Rockford. The Zitos were also related by marriage to other members and suspected members in the Midwest.)

Agents from the Springfield Field Office advised Newark: "...Surveillances indicated [Riela] was in constant contact with Zito and was lodged at Zito's residence. The only visitors observed were [Redacted] and [Redacted]. These visitations occurred at the [Zito] residence and at his [vending] business, the Modern Distributing Company located at 131 West Reynolds, Springfield."

On July 14 Agents photographed Riela, Zito and two Unsubs (one later identified as Frank Campo) meeting at an unspecified local restaurant:

Restaurant in Springfield (July 14, 1979)
L to R: F. Campo, A. Zito, A. Riela, Unsub

Campo's details are not provided but he may be identical to the individual of that name born 1915 in Springfield to Dominico Campo (1881-1957) of Montevago, Agrigento, making him the nephew of Family Underboss Nick Campo.

(This is also probably the same Frank Campo arrested with Anthony Zito in Ottawa, Illinois in the Fall of 1936. The pair, stopped while driving a vehicle containing a high-powered rifle, shotgun and loaded pistol, were released on $1,000 bond each. Contemporary press reported that both Zito and Campo 'have political influence in Springfield' and 'are active in mine union affairs'.)

At the restaurant Agents noted: "[Zito] did most of the speaking with [Redacted; Campo?] and [Riela] listening and making comments. It was noted [Redacted] was not included in the conversation and as indicated in one of the enclosed photographs, [Redacted] appears to be only a chauffeur or 'errand boy'. These conversations were all spoken in Italian, therefore, could not be understood."

On July 16 Riela and Zito were observed at the latter's vending machine business on West Reynolds St: "[Upon arrival] they went inside for a short period of time and then walked back out and stood by the corner of the building outside where they carried on a lengthy conversation. They then went inside and [Redacted] arrived. They immediately returned outside to the corner and continued a lengthy discussion. From observation, it appeared they were arguing with much hand motion. Also, it was noted on occasion while at the residence of Zito, Zito and [Riela] would walk out into the yard and have conversations."

Riela then drove to Chicago and from there flew back to Newark.

In an August 2 interview at his motel in Newark, he admitted visiting Los Angeles but failed to mention his brief stay in Springfield.

Small Update

 1. Genovese Family Ceremonies (1970s): Moved James Vincent Delio to circa Spring 1978.