This is a story about a New York mobster, who was the Godfather of the Gambino Family. Today he is serving a life sentence in Marion Federal Penitentiary on 43 counts of racketeering, multiple murders, loan sharking, gambling, and even jury tampering. John Gotti was born October 27, 1940 in the Bronx. John Gotti had 12 other brothers and sisters. He had 2 parents, Fannie and John Joseph Gotti Sr. John Gotti started school in 1945. In 1950 The Gotti family moved to Sheepshead Bay, where John attended P. S. 209. In 1952, the family moved to East New York; John attended P. S. 178.
While he was in school Gotti had his first rush with the law when he was caught with friends stealing and vandalizing with portable cement mixer that tipped over and crushed the toes of his feet. He had to be hospitalized for awhile as a result, and is reportedly missing a toe or two. >From then on John Gotti joined a youth gang called FULTON-ROCKAWAY BOYS. While he was in the gang he dropped out of school. In the gang he got in a lot of trouble. He got arrested for the first time in 1957 after a gang fight. From then on he got arrested a lot in 1958 he was Convicted of burglary and given probation.
In 1959 arrested for the first time as an adult for unlawful assembly in raid at a gambling location. He received a 60 day suspended sentence. Also in the late 50s, he assaulted a smalltime hood who owed him money, met and worked for Carmine Fatico, killed two black gamblers with Willie “Boy” Johnson, and was caught stealing copper from a construction site. In 1960 he met Victoria DiGiorgio and falls in love with her. In 1961, his daughter Angela was born. In 1962 John married Victoria DiGiorgio. Things were going good for a year when in 1963 John got arrested in a car reported stolen from AVIS.
He went to jail for the first time and served 20 days. In 1965, he was arrested for unlawful entry and ossession of bookmaking records, in March, Caught breaking into a tavern on Long Island, in October, Accused of attempted petit larceny in Brooklyn. In 1966, John allegedly associated with a gang reporting to Carlo Gambino. He was jailed for unlawful entry and grand larceny. Then in 1967, he was arrested on federal hijacking charges in an FBI sting operation at Kennedy Airport. Then in 1968, he was arrested in state hijacking case; he pleaded guilty but receives no prison time.
In 1969, he pleaded guilty in a federal hijacking case; gets three years at USP Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. While in prison, he was indicted n a second federal hijacking charge; however his indictment was dismissed because police used illegal wiretap. In the beginning of the 70s Gotti spent time in Green Haven Prison. After being released from jail Gotti was indicted for murder after James McBratney was shot and killed by Ralph “Ralphie Wigs” Galione (May 22nd) in a barroom fight. While John was at a bar in Queens, New York he was arrested for the murder of McBratney.
In 1975, John pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter in McBratney case; he was incarcerated in Green Haven state prison. In 1976 Carlo Gambino dies. Paul Castellano allegedly became oss of the Gambino Fami. In July 28 1977 John is released from Green Haven early after proving himself to be a model prisoner. Later that summer, he was allegedly inducted into the Gambino Family. March 18, 1980 John’s 12 year old son, Frank Gotti, is tragically killed in an accident when a neighbor hit the mini-bike Frank was riding with his car.
In 1981 Diane Giacolone began her investigation of Gotti. Then in 1984 Romual Piecyk accuses John Gotti and another of assaulting him after a scuffle over double parking. Gotti is arrested on assault and robbery charges. Aniello Dellacroce, Gotti’s friend and mentor, dies of brain cancer. On December 16th, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti are murdered outside of Spark’s Steak House in Manhattan. Then Gotti is arrested on federal racketeering charges. On January 16, 1986 John allegedly becomes boss of the Gambino family.
In March of 1986, the assault case is dismissed after Piecyk can’t remember who assaulted him. In April, Federal racketeering trial begins, Frankie DeCicco (alleged underboss) is murdered in a car bombing apparently meant for both him and John. The trial is postponed. In May of 86 a lot of things happened. Carpenter union official John O’Conner is shot in the rear, allegedly for ordering the rashing of a Gambino run joint which was being built with non-union labor. Gotti’s bail was revoked, and Gotti surrendered six days later to the MCC. In August Federal trial began again.
March 6, 1987 Diane Giacalone presents her summation of the case, which lasts five hours and contains several mistaken names and some errors of fact. On March 13, 1987 the jury reaches the verdict of not guilty on all counts. In 1989 Gotti was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit assault in the shooting of John O’Conner. In 1989 John is acquitted of the assault charges, also 13 count RICO Fed indictment brought against Gotti or conspiring to murder Paul Castellano. John Gotti, alleged underboss Salvatore Gravano, and consigliere Frank Locascio are all arrested at the Ravenite social club in Little Italy.
They are held without bail at the MCC in Manhattan. In 1991 Bruce Cutler, the lawyer who helped Gotti beat his previous three trials, is barred from representing him on the grounds that he (Cutler) is allegedly acting as “house counsel” for the Gambino crime family. Also, in November Sammy Gravano, facing a life sentence behind bars, is coerced into switching sides and testifying against Gotti and Locascio in exchange for a greatly reduced sentence (ends p serving only 3 years for admitting to 19 murders). Sammy “The Bull” became Sammy “The Rat” and Sammy “The Liar”.
In 1992 The trial began, Gravano first testifies. Gotti is found guilty all 13 counts, and he is delivered to Marion Penitentiary in Illinois. In 1993 Gotti’s appeal (that his lawyer, Bruce Cutler, was unfairly disqualified from representing him in the case) is rejected. In 1994 Bruce Cutler was sentencted to 90 days house arrest, fined $5,000, barred from NY’s Eastern District courts for six months, ordered to perform 600 hours of community service, and placed on probation for three years for peaking out in defense of John to reporters during the last trial.
John Gotti has now been in jail since 1992 serving a life sentence without parole. He has appealed since the trial has been over, and every time he has it has been rejected. The Gambino Family is still in New York and John Gottis son(John jr. ) is now the god father of the Gambino Family, and is still strong. The Gambino Family I think in the future is going to be very strong even without John Gotti. The FBI is still watching the family so it looks as if the family might even be as strong as when John Gotti ran the family.
