'The Saint's' son, wife nabbed in sting

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - The wife and son of notorious mob captain Anthony "The Saint" St. Laurent were picked up Friday in a FBI sting that sources said also implicates the mobster himself.

Anthony St. Laurent, Jr. and his mother Dorothy St. Laurent were arrested Friday morning. Only Eyewitness News was at Federal Court when they were driven in to eventually face a judge on charges of interstate extortion.

During the proceeding, it was revealed the pair is accused of trying to extort "protection" money from Massachusetts bookmakers on behalf of the elder St. Laurent. Both were released on bond following the hearing at U.S. District Court.

Law enforcement sources said the Organized Crime Task Force, made up of the FBI, Rhode Island State Police and Providence Police had been working on the case for more than a year.

St. Laurent, Sr. is already facing a litany of legal woes. With a year left in federal prison on a separate extortion case, he is also facing murder-for-hire charges in another undercover FBI operation.

Last January, St. Laurent was charged with trying to hire hitmen to whack rival mobster and mafia captain Robert "Bobby" DeLuca . The hit never happened, but according to court documents obtained by Target 12, St. Laurent wanted DeLuca gunned down at his workplace, Providence restaurant Sidebar and Grille.

St. Laurent had a hearing last month where he told the court he was firing his lawyer, Victor Beretta. He informed Judge William Smith he needed time to work with his wife and daughter to find new counsel.

With his wife now in custody, St. Laurent may not be able to meet the deadline to find a lawyer. Judge Smith told him then, he would assign a public defender if he failed to come through.