It’s slim pickins this week looking for underworld news due to America’s attack on Afghanistan. We at AmericanMafia.com hope the necessary work of our fellow countrymen and our allies will be a short effort with minimal loss of life and that we can find a way back to a lifestyle we somewhat took for granted.

     Next Tuesday will be the 66^th anniversary of the shooting of Dutch Schultz and three of his henchmen in a Newark, New Jersey tavern. In "This Week in Mob History," we will take an in depth look into the controversies surrounding that event.

     This week we return to the civil RICO lawsuit filed by lawyer David Kurtz. Part of his complaint involved the treatment of Old Forge, Pennsylvania Police Officer Michael Keslosky.

     In 1988 and 1989 Keslosky began to investigate Gerry Reviello, an alleged cocaine dealer that operated from Lavelle’s Bar. The investigation began after it was believed that Reviello sold cocaine and alcohol to an Old Forge teenager. The teenager overdosed and required medical attention. Shortly thereafter Keslosky arrested Reviello for driving under the influence of a narcotic.

     In November 1989 when the case was coming to trial prosecutor Michael Barrasse, then first assistant attorney, asked Judge Frank Eagen to dismiss the charges. Over the objection of Officer Keslosky the motion was granted.

     That same month Barrasse was elected District Attorney of Lackawanna County. In Kurtz’s lawsuit he claims, [Barrasse] also developed a new scheme to protect the enterprise by bringing false criminal charges against those who he suspected were investigating or learning of his drug usage and connection to the enterprise."

     According to Kurtz one of these people was Keslosky. Kurtz states, "…Barrasse brought false criminal charges of simple assault and harassment against Officer Keslosky alleging the victim was Keith Leschinsky, who was an associate of his [Barrasse’s] drug dealer [Reviello] from Lavelle’s Bar. Despite the use of false statements and perjured testimony, the District Magistrate dismissed the charges against Officer Keslosky. However, Defendant Barrasse pressured the Old Forge Borough and Police Department to fire Keslosky…which they did in May of 1990."

     Suspecting that there had been some kind of clandestine association between Barrasse and the drug activity taking place in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, Keslosky launched his own private investigation which involved monitoring the activities of alleged drug dealers Leschinsky and Mark Summa. On November 26, 1990 the two men threatened Keslosky in front of his home and attempted to shoot him.

     A "wild automobile chase" ensued through Old Forge and Taylor Borough before Keslosky hailed a Taylor squad car. He then filed a report at the police department.

     No charges were filed against Leschinsky or Summa. Instead, Kurtz states that false charges were brought against Keslosky and he was arrested in May 1991 for "filing a false report and unsworn falsification" over the November 26 incident.

     Kurtz represented Keslosky in a trial that began in June 1993. At the trial, "despite the false and perjured testimony given by Defendant Barrasse, Keslosky was acquitted of all charges."

     During the fall of 1993 Keslosky, represented by Kurtz, filed a federal civil rights suit against Old Forge Borough, the police department and Barrasse over his firing and the charges brought against him. Barrasse was dismissed from the suit due to "prosecutorial immunity" and in November 1996 the case was settled. Keslosky was given his job back and received back pay from Old Forge.

October 15, 1927 – Jacob Orgen, a New York City labor racketeer known as "Little Augie Orgen, made his way up the ranks as a labor slugger for "Dopey" Benny Fein. In the early 1920s he went to war with Nathan "Kid Dropper" Kaplan. Orgen was walking down the street with Jack "Legs" Diamond when an automobile containing Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and Jake "Gurrah" Shapiro pulled alongside them. Buchalter and Shapiro opened fired killing Orgen and seriously wounding Diamond.

October 15, 1931 – Joseph Ardizonne, boss of the Los Angeles Family, disappeared and was presumed to have been murdered. Ardizonne had a long and colorful career, which began as early as 1906 with the murder of George Maisano. According to a police report Ardizonne was known as one the wealthiest Italians on the West Coast. He was called "Iron Man" because he wanted to be "king of the Sicilian gang." Ardizonne left his home at 6:30 am and was headed to Joe Cuccia’s house near Ettiwanda, California. He never arrived. Four suspects were later arrested, but were released due to lack of evidence. Ardizonne was the cousin of Frank Borgia, a West Coast hood murdered by Jimmy Fratianno and Frank Bompensiero. .

October 15, 1976 – Carlo Gambino was the last New York City mob leader who could truly be looked upon as the "Boss of Bosses." A quiet, reserved mobster, he was revered by the men who worked under him and respected by the lawmen who sought to put him away. After years of avoiding legal action by feigning illness "Don Carlo" died of a heart attack at the age of 74 at his Long Island home.

October 19, 1974 – Nicolo Licata became boss of the Los Angeles family following the death of Frank DeSimone in August 1967. Licata was an early associate of the Detroit Family before falling out of favor. His son Carlo, however, married into the Detroit Family when he wed the daughter of William "Black Jack" Tocco. Licata died at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 77.

October 20, 1973 – Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo was a longtime member of the underworld in New Jersey. When the FBI began their pursuit of the mob in the early 1960s DeCarlo’s office was one of the many bugged by the agency. Information revealed from the tapes brought about the downfall of Newark Mayor Hugh Addonizio. DeCarlo, a colorful figure, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for extortion in 1970. His pardon from prison two days before Christmas in 1972 by President Richard M. Nixon caused a small scandal. DeCarlo died of cancer five days before he was due to return to prison.

October 20, 1994 – Joseph Souza, described as a "fringe player" in organized crime, was shot down in a telephone booth on an East Boston street corner during Boston’s Mob War. Souza had a record dating back to 1975, which included assault, battery and armed robbery. He was questioned by police in the murder of Massachusetts State Trooper Mark Charbonnier after being one of the last people seen with David Clark, the triggerman in the killing, and was alleged to have been a participant in the murder of Michael P. Romano, Jr. Residents of the East Boston neighborhood where Souza was gunned down were angry that it took sixteen minutes for an ambulance to arrive. One local storeowner claimed, "They could have saved that kid." Souza was pronounced dead at Massachusetts General.

Contact: AllanMay@AmericanMafia.com

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