Michael Taccetta
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Michael Taccetta | |
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Born | drug trafficking | September 16, 1947
Michael Salvatore Taccetta (born September 16, 1947), also known as "Mad Dog," is a high-ranking member of the Lucchese crime family, who controlled the family's New Jersey faction in the 1980s.[1]
Personal life
Taccetta, also known as "Mike T," was born in the Vailsburg neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey on September 16, 1947. This was the same neighborhood as the Gambino crime family's capo Joseph Paterno, for whom Taccetta reportedly worked in his early teens. Taccetta is the son of Angelo Taccetta, a self-employed building materials supplier, who law enforcement agencies reputed was a "made man" in the Lucchese crime family. Taccetta stands at 5'7" and weighs close to 225 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Michael was first arrested for assault at the age of twelve and was sent to
Winning the New Jersey State Lottery
In 1983, Taccetta's wife, Carol Ann, won $611,979 from the
Family mob ties
Michael Taccetta is the cousin of mobsters Michael Perna, and Daniel, Joseph and Thomas Ricciardi. He was especially close to his cousin Daniel, who was five years younger. The two cousins were described as being 'inseparable' during the 1960s. Robert Buccino, a New Jersey organized crime expert, said that Taccetta and Ricciardi ran with a gang that thought nothing of "beating up someone 10 to 1".[citation needed] His cousins Daniel and Thomas later became informants and turned state's evidence when facing jail for murder and drug trafficking.[citation needed]
Michael is the uncle of Joseph Perna born c.a. 1969, John Perna born c.a. 1977 and Ralph Perna Junior born c.a. 1972. They followed their father and uncle into organized crime. He is the father of
Although recognized as an associate of the Gambinos, Taccetta was influenced by his older friend from childhood,
Career
During the early 1970s, Accetturo, who currently worked as Taccetta's mentor, was indicted on illegal gambling charges in
Lucchese Made Man
In 1976, the newly made boss of the Lucchese crime family, Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo decided to strengthen his New Jersey faction, inducting Accetturo, Taccetta and several others into the Lucchese crime family that year. Accetturo was put in charge of the North Jersey faction of the Luccheses, and Taccetta became his top protégé.
Expanding Jersey
During the late 1970s, Accetturo encountered several indictments, as the State of New Jersey tried to extradite Accetturo, but failed due to poor health. Accetturo later relocated his business interests to Miami and
Philly operations
On March 21, 1980, the boss of the
Excluded from New Jersey
On January 6, 1984, Taccetta was excluded from New Jersey casinos, stemming from his prior convictions in the 1970s. Despite his exclusion, Taccetta kept operating in North Jersey. His brother Martin then served as acting boss on behalf of Taccetta in the mid-1980s.[3]
Longest trial in U.S.
In 1986, prosecutions which resulted in the
Accetturo rivalry
During the trial, both Taccetta and Accetturo agreed that it wasn't the right time for a war. That changed in 1988, as Taccetta declared war on Accetturo, and the North Jersey crew split into two factions. One of the main reasons were that Accetturo had promoted his son, Anthony Accetturo, Jr. to reorganize the Jersey crew upon his retirement, which Taccetta had been eager to take over since the early 1980s. When the trial ended in acquittals, Accetturo returned to Florida for his own safety.
Whack North Jersey
After the conviction of Anthony Corallo in 1986, and the murder of his protégé Anthony "Buddy" Luongo,
Weakening New Jersey
With Accetturo out of the way, Michael and Martin Taccetta were reportedly the leaders of the New Jersey faction, as Taccetta started cooperating with the head of the Gambino crime family, John Gotti, through Gambino caporegime, Thomas "Tommy" Gambino. During the last years of the 1980s, Taccetta's faction was much weakened due to increased law enforcement and bad relations with Amuso. The new administration was Michael Taccetta as the boss of faction, Michael Perna as the underboss and Martin Taccetta as the official consigliere. Reportedly, around this time law enforcement started seeing the Jersey faction as an independent family.[6]
Trial and imprisonment
In the early 1990s, the entire New Jersey faction's administration was put on trial, including the elder Accetturo, who had been imprisoned due to the contract both Taccetta and Amuso had put on his life in the late 1980s. The two began another war. Michael and Martin Taccetta were given 25 years for racketeering, narcotics, extortion, loansharking, conspiracy and murder in 1993.[7][8] Taccetta reportedly went on to control the Jersey Crew, while he was serving his sentence in Atlanta.[9][10]
South Woods State Prison
During his years as leader, Taccetta fought several internal wars, both with Accetturo and later Thomas Ricciardi, who turned state's evidence to convict Taccetta. His brother Martin Taccetta, though sentenced to life, was let out of prison in 2005 after granted his appeal that he was framed in his murder trial. Martin has since had his release overturned and is serving a life sentence at New Jersey State Prison.
As of April 2012, Michael Taccetta was imprisoned in New Jersey's South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey. He was first eligible for parole on August 13, 2013.[11]
On March 19, 2014, Taccetta was released from prison.
References
- ^ Crime Library Archived 2007-12-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Mob Soldier Caught with 65 Pounds of Pot in Montville, Police Say". 26 January 2014.
- ^ a b c [1] Archived March 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "ALL 20 ACQUITTED IN JERSEY MOB CASE" By JESUS RANGEL New York Times August 27, 1988
- ^ crime library Archived 2014-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Star-Ledger Sopranos". NJ.com. 2002-04-10. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ^ "Mob informant's role in Seton probe" New Jersey.com July 8, 2003
- ^ "2 Top New Jersey Crime Figures Admit Juror Bribery in U.S. Trials" By CHARLES STRUM New York Times September 21, 1993
- ^ "NEW JERSEY DAILY BRIEFING;Jailed Mob Boss Indicted". The New York Times. February 7, 1996.
- ^ "Jersey mob soon to get infusion of old blood". Nj.com. 2002-04-10. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ "Offender Details: Michael Taccetta". State of New Jersey Department of Corrections. Retrieved 10 April 2012.[permanent dead link]
External links
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Exclusion List
- La Cosa Nostra – State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report The Lucchese/Corallo/Amuso Family
- http://www.1010wins.com/Paramount-VP-Heard-on-Wiretap-in-Mafia-Case/1369690[permanent dead link]
- Mafia Wiseguys: The Mob that took on the Feds by Robert Rudolph
- New Jersey Daily Briefing;Jailed Mob Boss Indicted by Susan Jo Keller (February 7, 1996) New York Times
- Jersey mob soon to get infusion of old blood by Robert Rudolph and Guy Sterling (April 10, 2002) STAR-LEDGER