Mob associate gets two weeks of freedom

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - With just a few hours before he had to report to federal prison, accused mob associate Thomas Iafrate was granted an additional two weeks of freedom.

Iafrate, 70, of Johnston, is now scheduled to surrender to federal prison officials at noon on Jan. 17, according to court filings.

U.S. District Court Judge William Smith granted the stay after Iafrate’s lawyers said they had not heard from the federal Bureau of Prisons as to what facility he had to report to.

That meant Iafrate would have had to turn himself into the U.S. Marshals where he would be shipped off to a temporary facility pending a permanent home. But his lawyers said any hold-over prison may put Iafrate's health in jeopardy.

Iafrate – a former bookkeeper at the Cadillac Lounge strip club – pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in July. Prosecutors said he acted as a middleman for reputed former mob boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio.

The 80 year-old Manocchio is facing federal charges of shaking down strip clubs for protection money.

Manocchio and seven other defendants from the sweeping mob bust have pleaded not guilty.

Tim White ( twhite@wpri.com ) is the Target 12 investigative reporter for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter: @white_tim