Matthew “Matty” Guglielmetti a reputed capo in the New England Mafia has been released from prison after completing a ten year sentence for drug trafficking and is currently on home confinement. The now 65 year old wiseguy pleaded guilty to agreeing to protect a shipment of cocaine that was being moved through his Rhode Island turf. Authorities claim that Guglielmetti was a close associate of former New England mob boss Raymond “Junior” Patriarca and held the ranks of capo regime in the crime family before going away. His name was even part of the informant files of both James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi former leaders of the Irish Mafia in Boston. He was considered a very high ranking member of the Mafia in New England and held a significant power with in the family according to law enforcement.
“Matthew Guglielmetti”
Guglielmetti is coming home to a much different New England crime family then the one he knew when he went into prison ten years ago. The 2011 busts and convictions along with other arrests of many high ranking mobsters has really limited the strength and effectiveness of the Patriarca crime family. Assistant Special Agent in charge of Boston office Jeffrey Sallet even went as far as calling New England organized crime “decimated” after the recent round of convictions.
The power base of the New England family or what is left of it is believed to have shifted from Rhode Island to Boston after the latest busts. According to law enforcement and many mob insiders there is not much left of the Rhode Island faction of La Cosa Nostra and its strength had dwindled considerably. As Sallet also was quoted as saying it is not a very friendly atmosphere for the mob to do business anymore in Rhode Island and they have continue to keep the pressure on.
Only time will tell if Guglielmetti has plans to rejoin the mafia in New England but many believe if he should choose to he could be a key player in any chance the crime family has of rebuilding its ranks.
Now at age of 65 and with not much left of his old crew in New England and power or whats left of it shifting to Boston would think chances of Guglielmetti getting back into the game are fairly slim but perhaps he isn’t ready to quit the life just yet, New England mob can def use all the help it can get if it has any chance at all to bounce back.
What I am thinking is will the New England mob be able to recover from recent hits. The last 5 years at lot of mobsters have been arrested and imprisoned the mob here seems to be on its last legs though saying that the mafia has a weird way of surviving and regrouping
They do seem to have a knack for bouncing back and the New England mob still has a pulse for sure. The power has shifted to Boston where seems to be much of what’s left of the family is located. The Rhode Island crew which once held power has really been ripped apart by those recent hits. I doubt they will ever be what they once was but i wouldn’t pronounce them dead just yet either.
It’s not a friendly environment for the Italian Mob to do business, but it is a friendly environment for the black and Hispanic gangbangers to do business. Oh and the Latin American drug cartels. Pisses me off.
Well thats not completly true.In New York for instance the Italien mob is still the most powerful group and the New york families are probally still the most powerful organzization in the country.In New Jersy as well the Italien mob are the top.In places like Rhode Iland i agree they dont have much ground left but if you go to some areas in Boston the New Engalnd mafia is still well respected same with the philly,Chicago,Detroit and Kanas city
Agreed the 5 Famililes in New York are def still one of the top organized crime groups in the country even if they have def lost some of its over all power and influence they always find a way to adapt and continue to do business. Now families in New Eng and Philly have def seen their better days and are shells of their former selves and really are losing ground and their grip on those area’s to other groups. Still not dead and gone by far but def crippled.
Agreed law enforcement has definitely put way more resources and time into the Italian mob then they have other organized crime groups. I think some of that stems from the Italian mobs success over the years and also its popularity. Its not secret the feds like headlines and making La Cosa Nostra busts and high level indictments def grabs the headlines and attention of citizens.