[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 93 (Thursday, July 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1236-E1237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOB OWNS FBI IN YOUNGSTOWN
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HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 11, 2002
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, the following reflects the truthful and
reliable investigation by Congressman James Traficant into the
association between the FBI and organized crime (mafia) in Youngstown,
Ohio and surrounding areas.
In addition, FBI agent, Anthony Speranza did rape one of my
constituents. The matter was adjudicated in the Northern District of
Ohio Court of Judge O'Malley, where Speranza admitted to ``digital
penetration'' of a woman who had suffered problems of mental
instability, which under Ohio law is felony one rape.
The following facts and sources speak for themselves, making FBI-mob
connections in Boston, Massachusetts look like a Rotary meeting.
Traficant Investigation
Joseph Naples--James Prato
1. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Paul
Calautti; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Paul Calautti
murdered October 11, 1968; Finding: Joseph Naples never
brought to trial.
2. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Joseph
DeRose; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Joseph DeRose suffered
two bullet wounds May 13/14 1980. Joseph DeRose missing-
murdered or in protective custody; Finding: Joseph Naples
never brought to trial.
3. Fact: Joseph Naples issued a contract to kill one Robert
Furey; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Robert Furey murdered
April 12, 1979; Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to
trial.
4. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato issued a contract to
kill Charles Carrabbi; Source: La Cosa Nostra underboss
Angelo Lonardo's testimony under oath during a U.S. Senate
hearing on organized crime (1988); Result: Charles Carrabbia
missing-presumed murdered; Finding: Joseph Naples and James
Prato never brought to trial.
5. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered the burning of a car
belonging to a Youngstown City Councilman one Robert Spencer;
Source: FBI Affidavit and Robert Spencer's Affidavit
presented during a U.S. Senate hearing on organized crime
(1984); Result: Robert Spencer's car fire bombed and totally
destroyed. (1978/1979); Finding: Joseph Naples never brought
to trial.
6. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered the burning of the Desert
Inn; Source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Desert Inn bar burned;
Finding: Joseph Naples never brought to trial.
7. Fact: Joseph Naples ordered numerous other arsons and
bombings; source: FBI Affidavit; Result: Numerous other
arsons and bombings occurred; Finding: Joseph Naples never
brought to trial.
8. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato had influence with
Sheriff Yarash and associates around Sheriff Tablack; Source:
FBI Affidavits. Affidavit and Testimony submitted during U.S.
Senate hearing on organized crime (1984); Result: Organized
crime activities continued; Finding: Joseph Naples and James
Prato never brought to trial.
9. Fact: James Prato gave an attempted campaign
contribution to Sheriff candidate James Traficant; Source:
FBI Affidavit--James Traficant Trial. Testimony submitted
during U.S. Senate hearing on Organized Crime (1984); Result:
James Traficant acquitted; Finding: James Prato never brought
to trial.
10. Fact: James Prato gave an $80,000 campaign contribution
to Sheriff candidate Terrence Sheidel; Source: Michael
Terlecky Affidavit. Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff
Investigator Frederick V. Hudach; Result: Terrence Sheidel
advertised aggressively during his campaign for Sheriff;
Finding: James Prato never brought to trial due to no grand
jury being assembled.
11 Fact: Informant who wished to stay anonymous for now
revealed the following: (1) On or about 1979 and 1980 Terry
Sheidel, a faculty member at Youngstown State University who
taught Criminal Justice courses, was running for Mahoning
County, Ohio Sheriff at the same time James A. Traficant was
seeking the same position; (2) Informant advised Terry
Sheidel that he did not have enough money to forge an
effective campaign against James A. Traficant and that he
(informant) could ask Lenny Strollo for campaign money for
him (Sheidel). Terry Sheidel agreed to informant's
recommendation to ask Lenny Strollo for campaign money; (3)
Informant met with Lenny Strollo and he (Strollo) gave him
(informant) $80,000 in cash for Terry Sheidel's campaign for
Mahoning County Sheriff. Strollo also told informant that if
Terry Sheidel needed more money he would give him another
$80,000; (4) Informant felt that James A. Traficant had to
take the money from whoever gave him the money to keep it off
the streets or it would have certainly been used against him
to keep him from becoming the Mahoning County, Ohio Sheriff;
(5) As far as informant knows, Terry Sheidel never received
the second $80,000 from Lenny Strollo. James A. Traficant won
the election.
Source: Michael Terlecky Affidavit. Affidavit of
Congressional Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach;
Result: Terry Sheidel never investigated by FBI; James
Traficant investigated by FBI; Finding: Incident never
thoroughly investigated by FBI Agents before bringing James
Trafficant to trial.
Stanley Peterson as FBI Agent
1. Fact: Isabella Callard witnessed her husband Joe Ezzo
giving money to FBI Agent Stanley Peterson so that he would
permit gambling and other illegal activity to continue;
Source: Isabella Callard Affidavit; Result: Illegal activity
continued; Finding: Stanley Peterson retired from the FBI and
subsequently became the Chief of Police of Youngstown, Ohio.
Stanley Peterson/Friend of the Mob/Chief of Police
1. Fact: The FBI was informed that a candidate for Mayor of
Younstown, Emanuel Catsoules stated that in 1978 a friend of
organized crime wanted Stanley Peterson to be his Chief of
Police.
2. Fact: The FBI was informed that a candidate for Mayor of
Youngstown, Thomas A. Shipka, was contacted by a friend of
the mob who would support his campaign based on
[[Page E1237]]
certain conditions, one of which that he would appoint
Stanley Peterson as his Chief of Police.
3. Fact: Thomas A. Shipka turned over his information to
the FBI and actually brought 13-14 police officers who had
first-hand knowledge of gambling joints, prostitution, and
other activities that they alleged Mr. Peterson was
protecting.
4. Fact: Allegation of Mr. Peterson being involved in an
illegal wiretap of a rival mob group was given to the strike
force.
5. Fact: The FBI was informed that in 1969, Jack Hunter, a
candidate for Mayor of Youngstown, was contacted by an
intermediator representing organized crime figures who were
well known. They wanted veto powers over Chief of Police in
exchange for campaign funds. A high ranking official in the
Sheriff's Department was to act as the bagman.
6. Fact: The FBI was informed that in 1971 an intermediary
for organized crime contacted Mayor of Youngstown, Jack
Hunter, expressing a desire for him to name Stanley Peterson
as Chief of Police.
7. Fact: On two separate occasions during the period that
Stanely Peterson was Chief of Police of Youngstown, concerned
citizens took substantial evidence to the local FBI office
implicating Peterson in promoting or protecting organized
criminal activity in the City of Youngstown. The Youngstown
Police Department took evidence to the FBI identifying over
30 specific sites where organized criminal activity was being
permitted to operate within the city.
8. Fact: Evidence was presented to the FBI that Chief of
Police, Stanley Peterson was disciplining certain members of
the Youngstown Police Department to discourage them from
taking action against operations being conducted by LCN
figures within the city.
Source: Affidavits and testimony submitted during U.S.
Senate hearings on Organized Crime (1984); Result: The FBI
said they were aware of the information about Stanley
Peterson and that they investigated same, however, the nature
of the information lacked specificity; Finding: The evidence
against Stanley Peterson was never brought before a Grand
Jury.
1. Fact: Joseph Naples and James Prato who were aligned
with the Sebastian John LaRocca Mafia Family located in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ran the organized crime faction in
the Mahoning County, Ohio area which included: conspiracy to
commit murder, murder for hire, aggravated murder, arson,
bombings, burglary-criminal trespass, extortion, illegal
gambling, numerous illegal campaign contributions, promoted
the hiring of certain police officers, ``signed off'' on key
elected officials, sheriffs, prosecutors and mayors.
Source: FBI Affidavits. Testimony, written statements and
affidavits submitted to the U.S. Senate hearings on Organized
Crime (1984 and 1988).
2. Fact: An informant who wished to stay anonymous for now,
revealed the following: (1) Informant was a Youngstown, Ohio
police officer during 1977 and 1978; (2) Informant during
1977 and 1978 worked for six months on Phillip Richley's
campaign for Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. Informant felt that
his campaign work for Philip Richley would bring him a
patrolman to white shirt and tie promotion with the
Youngstown, Ohio Police Department. After Phillip Richley won
the election and became the Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio,
retired FBI Agent Stanley Peterson became the Youngstown,
Ohio Chief of Police. Informant became angry when he was made
aware that he was not going to get his expected promotion.
Informant then contacted Lenny Strollo, who at the time along
with Vic Calautti and Joey Naples reported to James Prato.
Immediately after informant told Strollo of what happened to
him, Strollo made a telephone call. Immediately following
Strollo's telephone call, Strollo told informant he was
promoted to a white shirt and tie promotion. Informant did
not hear Strollo's telephone conversation, however, he
strongly feels that Strollo talked to Youngstown, Ohio Chief
of Police, Stanley Peterson, the retired FBI Agent; (3)
Informant revealed that when Stanley Peterson was an FBI
Agent he was often seen at Standard Motors, 901 Andrews
Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio where mafia affiliated often met.
Informant said that FBI Agent Stanley Peterson ``had a key to
the place.'' Informant also stated that Stanley Peterson was
Joey Naples' man.
Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator,
Frederick V. Hudach; Result: The evidence against Stanley
Peterson never brought before a Grand Jury; Finding: Stanley
Peterson, friend of the mob.
Lenine Strollo/Frank Fasline--Telephone Conversation, November 23, 1996
Fact: Lenine Strollo told Frank Fasline during a November
23, 1996 telephone conversation: that FBI Agent Robert Kroner
was on Joseph Naples payroll; that FBI Agent Robert Kroner
said in essence that he has lots of friends, that they can do
whatever they want to do in this valley as long as they
cooperate with him; that the FBI got away with illegal
activity in the Mahoning Valley and the FBI was planning to
get away with illegal activity again; that the FBI got
involved in illegal activity and that the FBI wanted to make
him (Strollo) a scapegoat again.
Source: FBI transcript of telephone wiretap titled
Government Exhibit #4; Result: Lenine Strollo recanted above
statements. Lenine Strollo in a plea bargain kept over $10
million in assets; Finding: Lenine Strollo traded the truth
in exchange for his assets.
Associate of Lenine Strollo Proffer
Fact: (1) He caught Youngstown Police following him in
Campbell and he heard that the FBI was across the road, in
the mill with binoculars. Paulie told him not to worry about
it because they had an ``inside guy'' in FBI. (Page 4); (2)
Lenny Strollo told him about Biondillo running stags in the
City of Youngstown and they wondered how he was able to do
it. Lenny Strollo told him he heard that money went from
Biondillo through Vic Calautti to the Randall Wellington
campaign and that Biondillo had to have the okay from
Wellington to be able to hold stags inside the city of
Youngstown. (Page 45). He said that he heard that Biondillo
paid $25,000 to Vic Calautti to donate to Wellington's
campaign. (Page 49); (3) Lenny Strollo and he thought that
the guys at the Center (Youngstown United Music) were doing
business with FBI Agent Kroner as they were operating without
any pressure and therefore must have had the FBI's okay.
Lenny or Danny Strollo told him that Biondillo was talking to
and dealing with the FBI. (Page 58); (4) Lenny Strollo told
him that an agent told someone who told Strollo that FBI
Agent Kroner and those guys were on the Naples payroll for
years. He heard from Strollo that someone went to Kroner's
father to see if he could control Kroner. That person found
out that his father had no control over what he did. The
reason for this was to see if Lenny Strollo could have
control over Kroner like Naples did.
Source: The Proffer of a Lenine Strollo Associate given at
the Euclid City Jail, Euclid, Ohio on 5-28, 6-4, 6-9, 6-30,
9-1, 11-13, 1998 in the presence of Assistant U.S. Attorneys,
FBI Special Agents and a Special Agent of the IRS; Result:
Information within Proffer suppressed; Finding: Obstruction
of Justice-Misprision by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Special
Agent FBI and Special Agent IRS.
Fact: Informant, who wished to stay anonymous because of
fear for himself and family revealed the following: during
the early fall of 1997, Lenny Strollo, reputed leader of
Youngstown, Ohio Organized Crime, told me at his now closed
restaurant, at the northwest corner of Calla Road near Market
Street, North Lima, Ohio that Joey Naples had told him the
following: (a) he (Joey Naples) owned the FBI; and (b) he
(Joey Naples) made payoffs to the FBI through Special Agent
Lynch.
Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead Staff Investigator
Frederick V. Hudach; Result: FBI cover-up; Finding: FBI
Agents on Joey Naples' payroll.
judicial corruption
Fact: Five separate crimes reported to the Youngstown
office of the FBI and the Department of Justice, and three
separate crimes reported to the Youngstown office of the FBI
and IRS who used their authority in aid of and in furtherance
to conceal the reported crimes by refusing to investigate and
prosecute members of the bench and bar in both Mahoning and
Trumbull Counties, Ohio; Source: Robert A. Frank Affidavits;
Result: FBI and Office of the U.S. Attorney refused to
totally investigate and prosecute; Finding: FBI, IRS and
office of U.S. Attorney has carried out and made effective a
pattern of selective prosecution and in some cases became an
accessory after the fact.
Fact: An Investigative Chronology Exposing Extortion within
the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court System of four
Defendant's families for buyouts from prison was presented to
both the FBI Offices in Youngstown and Cleveland and to the
IRS Office in Youngstown; Source: Affidavit of Congressional
Lead Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach. Affidavit of
Carl Stere; Result: No action taken by the United States
Department of Justice; Finding: Selective Prosecution. The
FBI/IRS/U.S. Attorneys will not prosecute their criminal
friends for political reasons.
FBI refused to help a citizen of Trumbull County, Ohio who
was being extorted by members of the Aryan Brotherhood. If
the extortion money was not paid the citizen's son would be
killed in prison; Source: Affidavit of Congressional Lead
Staff Investigator, Frederick V. Hudach; Result: Troopers of
the Ohio State Highway Patrol saved the life of the son of
the citizen and arrested members of the Aryan Brotherhood;
Finding: Members of the FBI were deliberately indifferent to
their jurisdictional responsibility.
Fact: Two Investigative Summaries exposing police perjury
and a bogus autopsy which occurred in Trumbull County, Ohio
was submitted to Members of the FBI and the Office of
Professional Responsibility; Source: Correspondence between
Congressional Lead Staff Investigator Frederick V. Hudach and
members of the FBI and member of Office of Professional
Responsibility; Result: Assistant U.S. Attorney decided they
did not have jurisdiction; Finding: Assistant U.S. Attorney
practiced selective prosecution.
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