Mob associate had violent reputation

PROVIDENCE, RI.I (WPRI) - A reputed mob captain thought accused mob associate Albino Folcarelli would be too “violent” if he was used to collect protection payments from a Providence strip club, court documents filed Thursday reveal.

In a response to a request for two defendants to get a separate trial from reputed former mob boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio, The Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s office filed a 19-page response shedding new light on some of the evidence in the case.

Folcarelli is one of the seven defendants that remain in the sweeping mob case that alleges Manocchio ran a continuing criminal organization shaking down strip clubs and using threats of violence to collect $20,000 from someone who allegedly owed the mob money.

The documents reveal investigators plan to use a taped conversation between accused capo regime Edward “Eddie” Lato and “another made [New England La Cosa Nostra] member” at trial. Investigators say the recording shows Lato discussed the possibility of using Jenkins to collect protection payments from the Cadillac Lounge in the weeks following Manocchio’s arrest.

“During those conversations, Lato, as the NELCN capo, ultimately decided against using Folcarelli for this extortion, concluding that someone like Folcarelli may be too violent to send in to re-start extortion payments from the Cadillac Lounge,” Prosecutor William Ferland wrote. “Especially given the law enforcement scrutiny already associated with the Cadillac Lounge investigation.”

Ferland argued Folcarelli and accused mob associate Raymond “Scarface” Jenkins should not be granted a separate trial even though they weren’t accused in the shakedown scheme of the strip clubs. The pair along with Lato are charged of trying to extort $25,000 from an unnamed victim. The court filing states the wife of the victim removed $20,000 from their retirement account after she feared for her husband’s safety.

Ferland wrote that even though the shakedown did not involve strip clubs, it still proves there was an ongoing criminal organization, and they should all stand trial together.

“Simply put, it was just one of many extortions committed by and with the approval and authority of the NELCN members and associates,” Ferland wrote. “As the evidence will demonstrate, the NELCN makes no distinctions in the types of extortions it commits and such a distinction here is a distinction without a difference.”

In a separate filing Thursday, the government argued against Manocchio’s attempt to once again try for bail.

U.S. District Court Judge will hear arguments on the request for a separate trial on Feb. 6 and will have to rule on Manocchio’s request to try and appeal his decision to deny the 84 year-old bail.

Mob Associate Thomas Iafrate has already pleaded guilty in the case. He was sentenced to 30 months behind bars.

Manocchio and the others have all pleaded not guilty.

The trial is scheduled to begin April 23.

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