Gangster sent to slammer for dealing drugs - Winnipeg Free Press

Gangster sent to slammer for dealing drugs - Winnipeg Free Press: "Winnipeg gang member has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being caught dealing drugs and weapons in two separate police sting operations.
On Tuesday, Andrew Coffin pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from his arrests in 2008 and again in 2009 while out on bail.
In the first case, dubbed Project Beehive, Coffin was caught on video surveillance and telephone wiretaps arranging illicit deals with other gang members and associates. Police followed him to the parking lot of Red River College and watched as he delivered a .45-calibre semi-automatic handgun in exchange for cash.
Investigators pulled the vehicle over in Charleswood, seized the weapon and took Coffin and the other man into custody.
Coffin, 25, was granted bail but returned to his criminal ways. He became a target of Project Divide in which city police used the services of a paid informant to infiltrate members and associates of the Hells Angels.
Coffin was ultimately caught being a courier for a deal between two other gang members for 1,000 percocet pills, court was told."

Portsmouth drug kingpin sentenced to life

Portsmouth drug kingpin sentenced to life: "More than ten years after his original trial, Richard Thomas Stitt, 37, formerly of Portsmouth, was sentenced Tuesday in Norfolk federal court to serve five life sentences, plus a term of 65 years, for his role in three murders and in running a violent street gang that distributed crack cocaine in Portsmouth between 1991 and 1998.
According to court records, in October of 1998, following a five and one-half week trial, a jury found Stitt guilty of numerous federal crimes including three murders, drug trafficking and firearms charges. Specifically, the jury convicted Stitt of ordering the murders of two underlings and a member of a rival drug gang, in order to eliminate witnesses and maintain control of the crack trade in Portsmouth.
In November of 1998, after a penalty hearing, the jury sentenced Stitt to death for each of the murders.
In May of 2001, Stitt’s conviction and sentence was upheld on direct appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond. but in April of 2005, United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson overturned Stitt's death sentences, ruling that Stitt's right to effective assistance of counsel had been violated at the 1998 sentencing due to his attorney's conflict of interest."

Police cite gang connection of 3 slain in pizza shop battle - The Boston Globe

Police cite gang connection of 3 slain in pizza shop battle - The Boston Globe: "“The three individuals that were involved in this incident, who are now deceased, are all gang-affiliated,’’ police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said. “The individuals who are associated with them should anticipate a significant amount of aggressive enforcement coming their way.’’
A pedestrian outside the shop in a bustling commercial neighborhood was struck in the leg by a bullet during the shooting, but she survived, officials said.
The shooting sent passersby and the pizza shop’s customers and employees ducking for cover. Broken glass and bullet holes in walls were reminders yesterday of the violence."

Cell out: Verdict on gangster Domenyk Noonan's debut as a stand-up comic - Manchester Evening News

Cell out: Verdict on gangster Domenyk Noonan's debut as a stand-up comic - Manchester Evening News: "Heard the one about the reformed gangster who became a stand-up comedian?
A few weeks ago, Domenyk Noonan walked out of Strangeways jail – last night he stepped out in front of a packed crowd expecting top-class comedy.
Compère Sam Harlem made sure the audience gave him a rousing introduction – but couldn’t resist a cheeky dig himself: “Harry Hill has let himself go, hasn’t he?” he quipped.
Noonan, who took a comedy course while in prison, put on a confident performance, rattling off a series of gags that drew some genuine laughs from a packed audience at the Hope Inn, in Stockport. But there was no chance of an encore – Noonan, 46, had to be back home by 9pm, as part of the strict conditions of his licence for a jail sentence imposed in 2005."

Bacon brother's appeal will be heard in Supreme Court - CTV News

CTV British Columbia - Bacon brother's appeal will be heard in Supreme Court - CTV News: "Supreme Court of Canada will hear the case of an accused British Columbia gangster who says his charter rights were violated by police who found drugs and weapons in his car and home.
Jonathan Bacon and his associates Godwin Cheng and Rayleene Burton were arrested in August 2005 after a police surveillance team said they saw them transferring packages between vehicles.
Subsequent searches found a cache of automatic weapons, silencers, a bulletproof vest and a police uniform, as well as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine and more than $90,000 in cash.
The trio was charged with 15 counts of drugs and weapons offences.
They challenged the charges in court, arguing that Abbotsford police did not have sufficient cause to search them and, therefore, violated their charter rights. A provincial court judge agreed and in 2008 the charges were dismissed.
Court was told that the day before the arrests were made, a justice of the peace denied a search warrant, finding that there were not reasonable grounds."

Gangster Domenyk Noonan's new career – as a stand-up comedian - Manchester Evening News

Gangster Domenyk Noonan's new career – as a stand-up comedian - Manchester Evening News: "Gangster Domenyk Noonan has launched a new career – as a stand-up comic.
Noonan – who claims to be a changed man who has found God – took a comedy course while he was in prison. He has now prepared a comedy routine which he will perform for the first time in public tonight, at a pub in Stockport.
He said: “When I was inside I was told I was funny and I should do it.
“So I did a course on stand-up comedy in prison. I love it. People are always asking me to tell a few jokes.
“I have loved watching comedy shows on TV since I was a kid. I’ve got a little routine now and I’m looking forward to performing it for the first time.”
Noonan, 46, was freed from Strangeways prison earlier this month after rape charges against him were dropped.
He was released subject to strict conditions as he remains on license for a jail sentence imposed in 2005. It means he lives at an approved hostel and is subject to supervision."

Dillinger 'death mask' sells for $3,000 - UPI.com

Dillinger 'death mask' sells for $3,000 - UPI.com: "Chicago businessman was the $3,000 high bidder for a mold of John Dillinger's face made after the notorious gangster's death.
Ed Hirschland bought Dillinger's 'death mask' Thursday for $3,000, plus $660 in fees, at an auction featuring 65 pieces of Chicago history at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.
'I'm a Chicago aficionado,' Hirschland said. 'One of the areas that's so interesting about Chicago is crime. This is such an incredible crime item.'
The plaster cast of Dillinger's face was made by Kenneth 'Doc' Coffman, who got past guards at the morgue to make the mask after the gangster's 1934 death."

Cops guard family after 'gangster hit' - mirror.co.uk

Cops guard family after 'gangster hit' - mirror.co.uk: "terrified family of a man found dying in a sack in a van were under armed guard last night as police charged four men with murder.
Shaleem Amar's wife and three children fear for their lives after the 33-year-old was killed on Wednesday.
Police believe gangland enforcers snatched Amar from a £3million mansion he was renting and killed him nearby over unpaid debts.
His family was living with him in Sunningdale, Berks, but it is thought they were out at the time of the crime."

Dennis Cyrus gets life in Page Street Mob killings | San Francisco News

Dennis Cyrus gets life in Page Street Mob killings | San Francisco News: "federal judge sentenced a 26-year-old San Francisco man to life in prison Friday for killing three people during the Western Addition’s drug wars, rejecting defense claims that prosecutors had withheld critical evidence about the city’s scandal-plagued narcotics laboratory.
U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney denied a new trial to Dennis Cyrus Jr. before sentencing him to three life terms, all without possibility of parole, for the murders he committed in 2002 as a member of the Page Street Mob.
A jury convicted Cyrus in May 2009 of 16 felonies, including dealing crack cocaine and committing murder as part of a racketeering enterprise. Prosecutors sought a death sentence, but jurors spared Cyrus’ life after hearing about his childhood with a crack-addicted mother and a violent ex-convict father.
The verdict required a life sentence. It was the longest term given to any of the seven Page Street gang members convicted of charges in a 2005 indictment.
Prosecutors said the gang waged a bloody battle against rivals and defectors to protect their drug trade. They said Cyrus was the triggerman in the deaths of Joseph Hearns and Randy Mitchell, killed in August 2002, and Ray Jimmerson, slain the following month after talking to police."

Rizzuto slayings have criminal underworld watching | Canada | News | London Free Press

Rizzuto slayings have criminal underworld watching | Canada | News | London Free Press: "The mob slayings of Rizzuto family members and their associates in Montreal have left observers of Canada's criminal underworld with as many theories as there have been dead bodies.
One thing is certain, the dismantling and apparent takeover of the once mighty Sicilian clan is ultimately about money and control over Montreal, the Mafia's crown jewel.
'It all comes down to the almighty dollar,' said RCMP Supt. Kevin Harrison, head of Ontario's Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit.
His team is in touch daily with their counterparts in Quebec and together they're trying to prevent further violence.
They're watching and listening to the now nervous Mafiosi, waiting to see what's next, Harrison said.
'(The killings) heighten their awareness of the dangers they're in,' he said.
'Some of them are probably struggling to figure out where it's coming from and why and who is involved,' Harrison said.
'Self-preservation' has likely kicked in and there are undoubtedly criminals out there wondering, 'Am I next?'
He wouldn't speculate on whether the killings were part of a takeover but admitted the execution of the family's patriarch, Nicolo Rizzuto, certainly put an exclamation point on the wave of violence.
'Why execute an 86-year-old man?' Harrison wondered."

DMX Arrested On Probation Violation - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV

DMX Arrested On Probation Violation - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV: "DMX was back in a familiar place Thursday after being arrested on a felony charge of violating his probation. The troubled MC (born Earl Simmons) was picked up and jailed for not following the terms of his probation, which included checking in with his probation officer, according to his manager.
'He just didn't check in with his probation officer, and it's just a matter of him not following the rules,' manager Nakia Walker told MTV News on Friday (November 19) while confirming that the rapper is being held without bail until a probation-revocation hearing slated for next Wednesday. At press time, Walker said she hadn't spoken to her client, who she claimed was going through a rough patch in his life.
Asked how the oft-arrested MC ended up in jail again, she said, 'Because he's not perfect. This is a difficult time in his life. He's going through some things. ... Sh-- happens. I can't tell you why he makes the decisions to do the things that he does. Other than that, there's no real excuse for it. When you don't follow the rules, there's consequences.'
X has been out on parole on an assault conviction and was arrested in Phoenix. It marked his sixth arrest in Maricopa County, where he has made his home for nearly a decade. In that time, he has racked up arrests and jail stints for crimes including theft, drug possession and animal cruelty."

Scots gang's waterboard torture of drugs thief rival - The Daily Record

Scots gang's waterboard torture of drugs thief rival - The Daily Record: "Scots gangsters are using 'waterboarding' terror tactics to torture rivals.
Hardened crooks have copied the CIA-style interrogation technique where water is poured on to a cloth covering the victim's mouth and nose to simulate drowning.
We can reveal that a leading member of one of Scotland's most notorious crime clans was tortured by a rival gang using the shock tactics last week.
Drug dealer John Fox was terrorised after being snatched off the street by four thugs during a row over stolen drugs.
Associates of Fox said he was taken to a flat in Glasgow's east end, strapped to a scaffolding board, his head covered and water poured over his nose and mouth."

''Facebook gangster'' Suspected drug boss dodges arrest

Suspected drug boss dodges arrest: "ONE of Australia's most wanted men - alleged drug boss Hakan Ayik, also known as the ''Facebook gangster'' - has fled custody in Cyprus after being briefly detained by border police.
Despite the setback, the Australian Federal Police managed to land a blow against the Ayik syndicate, with Hong Kong authorities arresting his Chinese business partner, Man Kong Ho, while he was visiting a relative in hospital in September. The AFP and the Attorney-General's Department are seeking to extradite Ho to face charges over the alleged importation of 50 kilograms of the drug ice.
Ho and Ayik are thought to be linked to several drug importations into Sydney and Melbourne in the past three years. Ayik has been on the run since August, when New South Wales police issued a warrant for his arrest after Operation Hoffman."

Nicolo Rizzuto Murder Ends Rizzuto Crime Family Reign | Gambling911.com

Nicolo Rizzuto Murder Ends Rizzuto Crime Family Reign | Gambling911.com: "shocking murder of Godfather Nicolo (Nick) Rizzuto while eating dinner in his family’s Montreal home Wednesday night has likely signaled the end of the Rizzuto crime family, said retired RCMP intelligence analyst Pierre de Champlain. The only remaining senior leader of the family is his son, Vito. However, Vito Rizzuto has been under house arrest since 2004 for his role in the murders of three other mobsters in New York in 1981..
“Vito will come back at some point, but it’s clearly finished for the family,” said André Noël, co-author of Mafia Inc.
Vito is expected to be released within the next three years.
The elder Rizzuto was 86-years old. His family has been under attack for a number of years. His grandson, and namesake, was shot to death last year while standing outside his Mercedes, six bullet holes in his chest. Paolo Renda, Nicolo's son in law, disappeared on May 20, 2010, and is presumed to have been kidnapped. A month later Agostino Cuntrera, who is believed to have taken control of the family, was killed together with his bodyguard on June 30, 2010. Shortly thereafter, a Rizzuto associate Ennio Bruni was killed while leaving a cafe in suburban Laval.
The Rizzuto clan’s alleged criminal activities included loan sharking, money laundering, murder, drug trafficking, pornography, and gambling."

20 Killed In Drug | Gang Related Incidents

20 Killed In Drug | Gang Related Incidents: "northern Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez twenty people were killed due to drug and gang related violence over the weekend, which included seven individuals who had apparently been at family party and had been gunned outside their home.
There have been many such massacres that have happened as of late in the city of Ciudad Juarez due to drug and gang related violence. In fact, Ciudad Juarez is a city being held hostage by the Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, who have been struggling in a battle for turf ownership for almost three years.
There are very few residents from the Ciudad Juarez area that dare to venture out to any local bars or restaurants in fear of their lives. In fact, many have found that it is not even safe to venture out of their own homes like these unfortunate individuals found out over the weekend."

Pontiac Gang Crackdown Yields 74 Arrests - Detroit Local News Story - WDIV Detroit

Pontiac Gang Crackdown Yields 74 Arrests - Detroit Local News Story - WDIV Detroit: "crackdown on gangs in and around the Pontiac area has yielded 74 arrests and 18 arrest warrants.
The people arrested were part of two rival gangs involved with narcotics, assaults, robberies, attempted homicide and homicide, authorities said.
The 74 people arrested have been charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine, said United States Attorney General Barbara McQuade at a press conference.
The other 18 people have not yet been arrested. They were identified during a series of raids conducted on homes in Pontiac, Clarkston and Waterford."

Drug bust drains Bronx's Hunts Point of 32 in Satan's Bloods gang; it's a relief to residents

Drug bust drains Bronx's Hunts Point of 32 in Satan's Bloods gang; it's a relief to residents: "Thirty-two members of a Hunts Point drug syndicate known as 'Satan's Bloods' were either arrested in morning raids by law-enforcement, were already jailed or being sought, authorities said.
The members ranged in age from 19 to 52 years old, and have street nicknames such as 'Skinny,' 'Macho,' 'Biscuit,' 'Shorts' and 'Hat Boy.'
The gang dealt powder cocaine, crack and heroin 'seven days a week, 24 hours a day,' along Manida and Irving Sts., according to the federal charges.
'This is in the top-10 bad places I've ever lived - and I've lived in some bad places,' said Thomas Gibson, a resident of Manida St. 'It's the slum of slums, but maybe they did some good out here today.'"

Mexican Drug Gang Chief Reported Killed in Matamoros - NYTimes.com

Mexican Drug Gang Chief Reported Killed in Matamoros - NYTimes.com: "gang leader, Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén, who American and Mexican officials say took control of the cartel after his brother Osiel Cárdenas Guillén was arrested in 2003, was killed by Mexican marines, according to a statement by Alejandro Poiré, the security spokesman for the government.
Three other gang members were also killed, the statement said, and the Mexican Navy reported that two marines and a soldier died during the six-hour gun battle.
There was no official confirmation of any additional deaths. But the Matamoros newspaper El Expreso reported on its Web site that one of its reporters, Carlos Guajardo Romero, had been killed in the cross-fire shortly after noon as he covered the fighting.
Mexican officials shut down all three bridges that link Matamoros with Brownsville. They were closed for two hours but reopened on Friday night."

Facebook fugitive given long jail term - Breaking & Current Jamaica News - JamaicaObserver.com

Facebook fugitive given long jail term - Breaking & Current Jamaica News - JamaicaObserver.com: "24-year-old Bermudian gang member, dubbed the “Facebook Fugitive” for comments he made on his social network web site while on the run, has been jailed for 13 and a half years.
Alvone Maybury was handed the stiff prison term for carrying out a shooting and escaping from custody.
Maybury was the third Bermudian jailed for weapons offences this week as authorities move to halt a surge in gun crime.
Maybury fired at gang rivals on a Hamilton street just before Christmas last year. When he was brought to court in July to be charged with that crime, he escaped from prison guards while still handcuffed.
Maybury hit international headlines after posting messages on his Facebook page taunting the authorities during his two weeks on the run. He was eventually found hiding in a garden shed."

Darwen bank raid suspect arrested in Spain (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen bank raid suspect arrested in Spain (From Lancashire Telegraph): "Lee Tansey was wanted in connection with a bank robbery that saw machete-wielding gang get away with a 'significant' amount of cash from the Lloyds TSB in Duckworth Street, Darwen.
Spanish police swooped on Tansey as he was attempting to check-in for a flight back to the UK.
The 32-year-old from Salford is said to have been living in the Mijas area of Spain and was arrested at Malaga airport on Wednesday.
Police said that Tansey was wanted for questioning over a number of high-value robberies in addition to the Darwen incident.
European arrest warrants were issued by both the Lancashire and West Yorkshire police forces. Greater Manchester police also want to question him about a number of crimes on their patch too."

Gangster bonfire is torn down | The Sun |Home Scotland|Scottish News

Gangster bonfire is torn down | The Sun |Home Scotland|Scottish News: "Francis 'Fraggle' Green, 27, was said to be 'furious' that a council hit squad dismantled the large wooden pyre only a few hours before it was due to be torched last night."

Gangster ‘shot in the head’ | Winnipeg | News | Winnipeg Sun

Gangster ‘shot in the head’ | Winnipeg | News | Winnipeg Sun: "Daniel Benjamin Kachkan, 34, is dead after suffering a severe upper-body injury in what a street source said appears to have been an “execution-style” slaying. The victim was found with “a bullet to the head” in his Barber Street house by a family member on Monday afternoon, the source added.
City police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen, however, gave no information on Tuesday about Kachkan’s injuries, though he said investigators suspect the victim had succumbed to them before cops were dispatched to the home about 3:15 p.m.
Michalyshen said there is “a strong indication” of how the man was slain, but “we are reluctant to provide some of those details” before they have results of an autopsy.
“We have to look at the crime scene itself, and go well beyond that,” Michalyshen said. “Was there a struggle? Are things out of place? Was there forced entry to the home? A lot of questions have yet to be answered.”"

Salvadoran Prisons – Hubs of Organised Crime - IPS ipsnews.net

Salvadoran Prisons – Hubs of Organised Crime - IPS ipsnews.net: "Extortion is not the only crime ordered from prison cells. Kidnappings and murders are also planned, usually by convicts belonging to the Salvatrucha and M18 gangs, the two leading street gangs in Central America.

The crimes orchestrated from prison contribute to the soaring violence that has been tearing apart Salvadoran society.

This Central American country of 7.2 million people is one of the most violent countries in the world, with an average of 12 homicides a day and a rate of 71 murders per 100,000 people.

'We have police reports of inmates ordering kidnappings, from inside the Zacatecoluca prison, since 2005,' the head of the prison system, Douglas Moreno, told IPS.

Although the prison in the central region of Zacatecoluca is a maximum-security facility, that hasn't prevented cell phones from being smuggled in, with the cooperation of the guards.

No matter how many search and seizure operations are carried out by the prison authorities, chips and cell phones are inevitably found on prisoners. Last August, 14,000 illegal objects were found, including 1,306 cell phones, 1,317 chips, and over 400 rechargeable batteries.

The local press has reported numerous cases of women -- girlfriends, wives and relatives of the inmates -- smuggling in chips in their anal or vaginal cavities."

In an unusual move, feds subpoena wedding photos of reputed mobster | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/02/2010

In an unusual move, feds subpoena wedding photos of reputed mobster | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/02/2010: "Reputed mob boss Joe Ligambi is dressed in a tuxedo. He's rubbing elbows with alleged members and associates of the Philadelphia underworld at a swank wedding reception, holding court at a table near the front of the room, stopping occasionally to pose for pictures.
It sounds like a scene out of The Godfather.
But the possibility of such a scenario has whetted the appetite of federal investigators.
In a highly unusual move, the feds have subpoenaed the work of a private photographer hired to take shots at the recent reception of Anthony Staino, the reputed number-two man in the South Philadelphia mob, according to law enforcement sources.
Staino, 55, and his wife celebrated their marriage with an expensive gathering at the Curtis Center in Philadelphia in September. The couple, who live in Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, were wed earlier, but marked the occasion with the Sept. 11 affair.
Ligambi, 71, and several other reputed mob members and associates were among about 300 family members and friends who attended. Another special guest was the groom's 78-year-old uncle, legendary South Philadelphia mobster Ralph 'Junior' Staino."

Glasgow-born Michael McGurk was shot dead outside his waterside Sydney mansion in a gangland-style execution.

Glasgow-born Michael McGurk was shot dead outside his waterside Sydney mansion in a gangland-style execution.

Now the latest episode of “Sopranos on the Harbour”, as some have called it, is riveting Australians, following the arrest of McGurk’s former business associate, Ron Medich.

A multi-millionaire property developer who had been in dispute with McGurk, Medich has been charged with masterminding the murder. A Sydney court heard that shortly after McGurk was shot at close range in his driveway in front of his nine-year-old son, Luc, a text message stating “Job done” was received by a friend of Medich’s, Lucky Gattellari. Medich was allegedly with him.

The murder, in a well-heeled area, shone a light on a murky side of Sydney society. As well as being involved in property deals, McGurk, 57, had been a loan shark and debt collector with a violent reputation. The father of four had once been charged with firebombing a house. There were allegations of blackmail and corruption involving politicians.

At the time of his death, McGurk – who grew up in the Gorbals as Mick Rushford and changed his name when he emigrated to Australia in 1993 – had many enemies, accumulated during his rise from dirt-poor roots to apparent respectability. He sent his children to Sydney’s most exclusive Catholic school and was a pillar of his church, but those who knew his ruthlessness feared him. A week before his death, he told a journalist he believed a hitman was on his trail..