Mobster 'The Saint' admits guilt in murder-for-hire case
An aging Mafia captain admitted his guilt in a high-profile organized crime case Thursday and signed off on a deal that is being used by prosecutors in another mob extortion case.
The deal with the Federal Government near-guarantees St. Laurent will extend his prison stay, possibly by as much as 10 years.
“Certainly whenever the FBI working as well as they do can take down a captain in La Cosa Nostra, that is obviously a significant event,” said Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha after the hearing.
Neronha said this case proves evenly aging ailing mobsters have the ability to committ violent acts.
"The argument that members of LCN are old and therefore can't be committing acts of violence through others is a fallacy," Neronha said.
In a stunning plea agreement unsealed in January, St. Laurent admitted to being a sworn member of the Patriarca crime family and identified Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio as the former boss of the family.
It was revealed in a hearing earlier this week, St. Laurent’s willingness to identify a reputed crime family leader is being used by prosecutors in a separate extortion case against Manocchio.
As Target 12 first reported in 2009, St. Laurent was charged with attempting to hire hit men to take out reputed crime family capo regime Robert "Bobby" DeLuca.
The plea agreement states that St. Laurent wanted to snuff out DeLuca because of his "intense hatred" of the rival mobster. DeLuca has accused St. Laurent of being a government informant in the past.
The extortion charge accused St. Laurent of being the mastermind behind a three-decade scheme to shake down Taunton bookmakers for protection money.
St. Laurent's wife and son already pleaded guilty to their roles in the extortion scheme last year. Anthony St. Laurent Jr. is currently serving a six-and-a-half year sentence in a federal prison in upstate New York. Dorothy St. Laurent was sentenced to three years of probation and 1,500 hours of community service.
Court documents reveal the family took in between $800,000 and $1.5 million in extortion payments after the scheme began in 1988.
Under the agreement, the government agreed to recommend a lesser sentence for St. Laurent. Judge Smith will ultimately decide St. Laurent's fate when he is sentenced in July.
St. Laurent has been in Fort Devens federal prison awaiting trial.
This was the fourth attempt at a plea hearing. Earlier this month, St. Laurent’s court appearance was delayed after he complained of health problems, according to U.S. Marshal for Rhode Island Steven G. O’Donnell.
Unlike previous visits to federal court, St. Laurent – who suffers from a myriad of health problems – was not transported in an ambulance Thursday though he appeared in the courtroom in a wheelchair and receiving oxygen.
The plea agreement revealed for the first time that in exchange for gunning down DeLuca, St. Laurent would get the alleged hit man inducted into La Cosa Nostra. St. Laurent told the prospective murderer, who was actually an undercover investigator, that he had the permission of former boss Manocchio.
DeLuca was scooped up by Rhode Island State Police and an attempted hit was never pulled off. Previous documents revealed "The Saint" wanted the murder to happen at the downtown Providence restaurant Side Bar & Grill, where DeLuca works.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/target_12/inside_mafia/mobster-the-saint-admits-guilt-
The deal with the Federal Government near-guarantees St. Laurent will extend his prison stay, possibly by as much as 10 years.
“Certainly whenever the FBI working as well as they do can take down a captain in La Cosa Nostra, that is obviously a significant event,” said Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha after the hearing.
Neronha said this case proves evenly aging ailing mobsters have the ability to committ violent acts.
"The argument that members of LCN are old and therefore can't be committing acts of violence through others is a fallacy," Neronha said.
In a stunning plea agreement unsealed in January, St. Laurent admitted to being a sworn member of the Patriarca crime family and identified Luigi "Baby Shacks" Manocchio as the former boss of the family.
It was revealed in a hearing earlier this week, St. Laurent’s willingness to identify a reputed crime family leader is being used by prosecutors in a separate extortion case against Manocchio.
As Target 12 first reported in 2009, St. Laurent was charged with attempting to hire hit men to take out reputed crime family capo regime Robert "Bobby" DeLuca.
The plea agreement states that St. Laurent wanted to snuff out DeLuca because of his "intense hatred" of the rival mobster. DeLuca has accused St. Laurent of being a government informant in the past.
The extortion charge accused St. Laurent of being the mastermind behind a three-decade scheme to shake down Taunton bookmakers for protection money.
St. Laurent's wife and son already pleaded guilty to their roles in the extortion scheme last year. Anthony St. Laurent Jr. is currently serving a six-and-a-half year sentence in a federal prison in upstate New York. Dorothy St. Laurent was sentenced to three years of probation and 1,500 hours of community service.
Court documents reveal the family took in between $800,000 and $1.5 million in extortion payments after the scheme began in 1988.
Under the agreement, the government agreed to recommend a lesser sentence for St. Laurent. Judge Smith will ultimately decide St. Laurent's fate when he is sentenced in July.
St. Laurent has been in Fort Devens federal prison awaiting trial.
This was the fourth attempt at a plea hearing. Earlier this month, St. Laurent’s court appearance was delayed after he complained of health problems, according to U.S. Marshal for Rhode Island Steven G. O’Donnell.
Unlike previous visits to federal court, St. Laurent – who suffers from a myriad of health problems – was not transported in an ambulance Thursday though he appeared in the courtroom in a wheelchair and receiving oxygen.
The plea agreement revealed for the first time that in exchange for gunning down DeLuca, St. Laurent would get the alleged hit man inducted into La Cosa Nostra. St. Laurent told the prospective murderer, who was actually an undercover investigator, that he had the permission of former boss Manocchio.
DeLuca was scooped up by Rhode Island State Police and an attempted hit was never pulled off. Previous documents revealed "The Saint" wanted the murder to happen at the downtown Providence restaurant Side Bar & Grill, where DeLuca works.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/target_12/inside_mafia/mobster-the-saint-admits-guilt-
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