Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino the alleged boss of the Philadelphia mafia has been a mainstay on the feds radar since his release from prison back in 2011.
Merlino was busted along with over 40 other alleged mafia members and associates for being part of what the feds have labeled as the East Coast LCN Enterprise. Now it an odd twist of fate it’s Merlino who is apparently putting the pressure on the feds by holding firm on his refusal to agree to a plea deal in the case. Skinny Joey was facing multiple charges including racketeering conspiracy which could have landed him behind bars for an extended period of time. But the feds case began to fall apart after an alleged misconduct probe was launched looking into possible misdeed by three FBI agents in the case.
“Joey Merlino”
This bizarre turn prompted prosecutors to offer some sweet plea deals agreeing to drop the main racketeering conspiracy charge allowing the defendants to plead guilty to only the lesser charges leading to drastically reduced sentences. Merlino was one of eight defendants who opted out of the original plea negotiations but according to sources everyone except Joey has now agreed to some kind of deal or are very close to an agreement. Joey seems to be the last man standing and at least seems content to roll the dice and take the feds on at trial. Merlino has always been proud to say that he has never taken a plea deal in his life and sources claim he is saying that he doesn’t plan to start taking them now.
It seems clear from the plea negotiations that neither the U.S. Attorney’s office or the FBI are too keen on taking any part of this case to trial. A large part of the case against Merlino revolves around wiretap evidence collected by a New York mafia turncoat named John Rubeo which has potentially been compromised by the internal misconduct probe. This has seemingly put Joey and attorney Ed Jacobs in a fairly strong negotiating position which could lead to them getting an offer they can’t refuse. But it wouldn’t exactly be a shock to anyone if Joey Merlino pushes this thing all the way to trial no matter what offer the feds make because there is never a dull moment when it comes to Joey.
It would certainly be a bitter pill for the feds to swallow if Merlino finds a way to walk away from this a free man considering all the effort put into getting him back behind bars. The feds have taken it on the chin in some recent Cosa Nostra cases but being beaten this time by Joseph Merlino would certainly rank among the more gut-wrenching.
Never a dull moment when it comes to Joey is right and man that dude’s ego would be off the chain if he took down the feds at trial. He knows these guys have had a hard on for him for years and boy would he love to beat them and be able to flaunt it. Still I think if they sweeten the deal even more (which it seems they have done for a few who opted out at first) he has to consider taking it because lets face it at trial we all know anything can happen. But well Joey is def gonna Joey so ……
Joey’s father Salvatore AKA..chuckie merlino underboss for Little Nicky scarfo was not as shrewd as Joey his son…I believe Attorney jaccobs and Joey have a well defined strategy and Joey will do no time….But on the other hand this will piss off the Feds greatly and the target on Joey will increase and they turn the heat up big time….Never a dull moment with skinny Joey….extremely interesting how this all turns out
He definitely has a target on him big time. The flip side is that everything is political with the US Attorney and if he won at trial there is a slim possibility that they may choose to leave him alone for a while. One of the bosses may decide that’s enough embarrassment for their office unless some other airtight case falls into their lap. I’m not saying it’s likely but it is possible. They have to keep in mind that every time they do one of these big dramatic cases with lots of media posturing it hurts their image and credibility when they lose. Especially if it is due to corruption or shady doings on their side or the FBI. They lose credibility each time this happens and juries clearly are finding it harder and harder to believe a lot of these informants who sometimes worse then the defendants themselves.
To the boss and company …strange turn of events ???Have the tables turned ??They BEEN TURNED !!!LET THE FEDS SWALLOW THEIR PILL THEN.WHY WOULD ANYBODY BE CURIOUS HAS TO HOW THIS WILL TURN OUT ???PSALMS 91 HAS BEEN PRAYED AND DECLARED OVER THE MAN !THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS !THE CASE IS ALREADY OVER HE IS A FREE MAN THEYLL BE NO PLEA DEALS !NONE !NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THE MAN SHALL PROSPER !!I WILL HASTEN MY WORD TO PERFORM IT !FOREVER OH LORD THY WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN !HE WILL WALK RIGHT THRU THE RED SEA ON DRY LAND JUST LIKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT .AND GOD WILL DO IT !”HE MAKETH A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS AND A PATH IN THE MIGHTY SEA GODS EYE IS ON MERLINO AND I KNOW HE WATCHES ME !
Say it ain’t so Adam! Joey is shining hid skates as I post this…????
You see it big Frank !!!!You already know !????????????????
Hey Joey …When the enemy comes in like a Flood The Lord will lift up a standard against him !!!!If God is for You who can be against you ???I been right where you are now !!Stand you’re ground !!!!
We are in church this morning praying for you !!!
I sat in a cage for years before I started to pray and then I started to pray and didn’t sit in a cage no more !
He protected me right or wrong !
Hey Joey …????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
It’s more then curious when know criminals who have never experienced a legal day in their entire lives. Who are directly responsible for most of America’s problems are treated as some sort of people being harassed by the government. While others look at it as a win or lose case. It’s disgusting. Then these same “Good people ” villify others who haven’t done nearly as much damage to the country. What a bunch of hypocritical liars.
I can’t quite make out your entire comment as it seems to be typed in some type of code or ignorance. Anyhow, I was able to decipher that you seem to think that these guys are responsible for “most of America’s problems”. Have you ever seen the estimated numbers of these Mafia families? To say they are responsible for majority of America’s problems is not only asinine but practily impossible.
Not that I in any way believe these are good men. But did you have an encounter or incident with a Mafia member(s) causing you to vilify and lay so much blame upon them?
You must be talking about you’re government who is by the way “suppose to act better than the rest of us “again like the man said “we are all part of the same hypocrisy “
I wouldn’t call it part of the hypocrisy. They work on their own WITHOUT my approval. But as for mr.Merlino, wasnt he behind the shooting of greg stanfa in broad day light on a Philly highway??? And Mr. Gotti, he was responsible for a lot of the drugs and related illegalities in n.y. not to mention he was a mass murderer.
Who told you those lies ???Were you there with all do respect ??Did you see him do it ??How many people did you see these men kill ??And who told you Mr Gotti was responsible for drugs sir???That sounds more like a job for the Dea drug dealing .I don’t believe that sir .Niether do I believe in the existence of “a mafia “
Wow!!! Wow!!! No mafia huh!!?? I got my info from the news sir. And it was Sammy the bull that said he and got to were responsible for 10 murders. Sammy even admitted to haven killed his own brother in law. Fake news sir?? When the cops kill an unarmed civiliian shooting them 10-41 times and the news say he had a gun or he had a toy gun or his hands moved towards his waist line do you also distrust the news’ s account??
Ok how does that saying go ?”I believe none of what I hear and little of what I see ??Something like that !As far as some of the other people u mentioned I try to make it a practice to never say anything behind a person’s back I won’t sat to there face especially if they are not standing here .My brother taught me that .But let me put it another way sometimes certain people say things that are “untrue “cuz it benefits them !I don’t believe everything I read in the papers .Now let me see what other of you’re comments I can get to .I’m a little slow so bare with me
But I am enjoying this .Did I miss anything sir ???
You can’t believe tv ..optical illusions ..and if I recall right during the Inquisition they told the so called “witches “if you confess to being a witch we will “let you live”or “leave”however you wanna put it .But they said “we are not witches “and they said we know that you idiots but we have to be good and someone has to be bad so it might as well be you !Sound familiar???
Lmao. Well sir, I need to take a nap. It’s a long way back up to n.y. Have an awesome evening.
I’m tired too .I knew you were cuz I was ..take care
Safe trip God bless
When were kids we confessed to stuff we didn’t do so our father would not beat us harder !
Good night sir.
Good night to you sir and God be with you : )
Might sell alotta newspapers and movies and maybe a good book on fiction for people who like to read .Have good imaginations and live in fantasy land .But then again sometimes that is the only safe place to live .You know what I gave learned in 53 years besides nothin ???That people like this stuff .And it sells .And that people want to be entertained !And they will believe a lie quicker than the truth !And that’s what all this stuff in the newspapers and FBI files is is lies !Else how would they have a job sir ???Gotta make something up !! They should be fighting isis !
Well in 58 years I’ve been around the block a few times too. And I’ve seen a few things too. I’m from the Bronx sir and I know for a fact that there’s organized crime in n.y. I have intimate knowledge of the numbers rackets from the 70’s sir. This is not what I gleaned from books or saw in the theater. Also as a truck driver I did certain servies for a brick building in the hunts point area. The company I worked for rented space from jr. So please don’t tell me they don’t exist. One question, are you a paisano ???
Thats a snake right a paisan ??: )I might have a little snake in me I think we all do .But no sir I am not a Italian if that is what you are referring to .But I’ve heard it said in Sicily they have saying “I am deaf dumb and blind “I heard you live longer that way .In America we say see no evil speak no evil or hear no evil is that how it goes ???And in the movies The God father said “I’m not interested in things that don’t concern me “or every day talk “I mind my business “and hold on I’ll get to the rest if the comments Mr JB give me a minute sir
I have nothing against the Italians, especially those from Sicily.
They did alot of good for the country .Built alot of it too .
One last thing. The Italians along with others have done great and lasting things for this country, but there are those that contributed as well, yet are forgotten about and not credited with their contributions. You are obviously a man of respect, so I’m sure you’re awarer of this little fact.
I am as are you sir and I agree with you
As far as the tapes go …well you and I both know you can make those tapes say anything !
Like that fake case they put on Gotti when they disqualified his lawyer ??And skin cream ??Really ???Chase isis !!!!Not Americans !
Only thing Joey MERLINO is guilty of if I can get forgiven for saying it is probably being able to make something good to eat in the kitchen !Lies it’s all lies and gossip from people who will say anything to further their own worthless cause !
Was not LBJ a mass murderer???With all do respect to the men who fought in the wars my father was in the war ..but how many of our boys was he responsible for killing ???How many young boys did he send to their death in Vietnam God Bless Them Forever ???Some of these people you speak of sir are I’ll put it this way “honor students “compared to the “ding dings “that we let run our world !Sir !
Again I agree with you to an extent. The Viet nan war as were others were a total sham. I went into the marines in “76. But I told my four sons not to go in the service as it’s become a tool of the super rich to coerce small countries with resources to keep in line. Read the book, confessions of an economic hit man. Any ways, due to personal experiences I know the mob exists.
John Gotti denied there was a Mafia until his dying day .In fact most people that they have accused of being in it have denied it too except for the ones who “had an axe to grind “But if you like I will take you’re word for it like I said to my “other friend “Big Frank “,”you seem like a reasonable man.: )I have enjoyed our conversation sir .That is the truth .:)
I will look up the book at the library here in PA : )and I thank you
And no one has done more damage to this country than the politicians that we have elected to run it and that we let run our lives !Sir !
I agree with you to an extent sir.
It is called my dear sir “the art of misdirection “!!!Dont look at us it’s not us it’s these people down here !The “street people”
Oh, I know that strategy very well.
Good than we are in agreement !: )So let’s join forces and stay silent “omerta “and wish “our friends “and benefactors “buona fortuna “and pray for our government that it will STOP LYING TO US AND TELL US THE TRUTH FOR ONCE !
Hey Joey don’t take a plea deal from the devil ….stand you’re ground !!!You’ll walk !!The devil’s a liar !!!!
They got nothin!!!