It is sort of ironic that the same day we read that the Red Sox which is owned by the Boston Globe’s owner cancelled its plans to issue 15,000 David Ortiz bobbleheads which were called “an offensive portrayal of him and the facial features were racially insensitive” was the same day that Frank Salemme appeared in federal court in Boston to answer to a complaint charging him with a violation of 18 USC sec 1512(a)(1)(c) which is described as murder of a witness.
It is ironic because in my book Don’t Embarrass The Family which tells of his testimony at the trial of FBI Agent John Connolly I wrote: “When Salemme gives an affirmative answer his head continues to shake up and down like those bobbing head dolls of sports figures . . . .”
On the same day one bobblehead is out and the other is in. Frank Salemme was held without bail in federal court for the murder of Steven A. DiSARRO in 1993.
Here’s a little background on Salemme. He was convicted of blowing up Attorney John Fitzgerald’s automobile maiming the attorney. He both admits and denies he did this but he ended up doing 16 years at Walpole State prison after he was arrested in the Big Apple by FBI Agent John Connolly. He got out in 1988.
In January 1995 he was indicted for racketeering and fled. He was captured sometime in the summer and held on bail on the charges that included himself, Bulger and Flemmi. It was during the pendency of his case that it was disclosed Bulger and Flemmi were informants.
On November 2, 1999 Salemme made a proffer to the government agents and prosecutors which resulted in him testifying at John Connolly’s trial. During the proffer he said that he knew nothing about the disappearance and ultimate fate of Stephen DiSARRO.
On March 1, 2000, Flemmi pleaded guilty to numerous racketeering charges and received a sentence of a little over 11 years. Under normal circumstances he would have been in prison to sometime in 2005 counting the time incarcerated waiting for trial.
The John Connolly trial was in 2002. Salemme testified he went to New York in 1990 to meet with the Mafia Commission which was the consiglieris of the Genovese, Gambino, and Colombo families who put him in as the boss of the New England Family. He testified: “As a boss I killed no one. I authorized no murders.”
That was a lie since he killed DiSarro and some others. Salemme would tell a Mafia inmate with him that he was prepped by the government agents as to what to testify at the trial and much of what he said was lies.
Sometime after the Connolly trial in January 2003 Salemme’s sentence was reduced and he hit the street. By March 2003 Salemme had received immunity from attorneys working for the House of Representatives Committee Reform and he was spinning out a story to those investigators about his life. Despite their numerous leading questions he knew very little about the Teddy Deegan murder case.
An interesting part of his story was where he said John Martorano explained to him why he was going to testify against Whitey and Stevie. He pointed out that he had no reason to do that since they never did anything to hurt him even though they were informants giving lie to Martorano’s “you can’t rat on a rat” attempt at self-respect.
Another thing was he said that he paid Connolly two payments of $5000. He also said he paid Connolly at the trial. The truth was he had no idea Connolly had a relationship with Stevie or Whitey at that time according to Flemmi.
Mafia leader Frank Salemme whose hands dripped with blood had now become one of the favorite stars in the federal prosecutors arsenal. I always was amazed how guys like him become buddies with the government agents. Its like their murders and other depredations don’t matter anymore while others who have done much less rot away in prison. Worse, that they naively believed their self-serving tales where they make them into their good guys.
Salemme’s star faded when in early 2000 his friend Stevie Flemmi turned on him. Amazing how easy these gun men become rats. He told how he happened to walk in on DiSARRO’S murder (Flemmi seems always to be a spectator) being done under Salemme’s watchful eye.
Salemme was not charged with perjury. As I’ve written if you perjure yourself for the prosecutor you won’t be charged; each defendant will testify he is telling the truth because if he lies he will be charged with perjury which in itself is a lie.
On October 27, 2004, Salemme was charged with obstruction of justice and making false statements in his proffer but nothing about the Connolly trial where his lie really counted. He was back in the can. He pleaded guilty to that. He got 5 years on July 16, 2008. Having been in prison since 2004 he was out on March 18, 2009 within a year.
He also testified at Connolly’s trial that he had no idea Tommy Timmons was dead when Flemmi said Salemme murdered him. The same thing with Bobby Donati who Flemmi said Salemme murdered. Although Flemmi was used against Connolly and Bulger, he was not used as a witness against Salemme and the latter was given a pass not only on the murders but also the perjuries relative to his involvement in murders.
Connolly sought a new trial because Salemme presented critical evidence at his trial which resulted in his conviction. The trial judge denied it without a hearing. It was upheld by the Court of Appeals. So much for justice.
We now know Salemme went into the witness protection program in Atlanta under the name Richard Parker. This despite the government knowing he was not in any jeopardy since he was not going to testify against Whitey (he knew little about him) but most amazingly despite the government prosecutors knowing he was a murderer. Our government is protecting a guy who led the Mafia, murdered numerous people, and perjured himself at trial.
Salemme is now charged with DiSARRO’s murder. The witness against him will be Steve Flemmi. When Salemme came into court for his first appearance yesterday he turned to the federal prosecutor who had done all these favors for him, Fred Wyshak, and said: “Fred, fancy seeing you here.” When was the last time a guy charged with murder gave a prosecutor such a greeting. Wyshak when asked about it said it was “Mob humor.”
Maybe it was Salemme’s way of sending a message to his buddy Freddy. “I know you had to indict me once the body was found. Thanks for holding off so long. But you still owe me!” That’s also a little mob talk which Freddy would know since he has such close associations with those mobsters handing out his box of goodies to them and putting those murderers back living among us.
The big question that remains is where is Freddy’s best mobster buddy, one of the worst criminals who ever walked the streets of America, Stevie Flemmi, aka Benji Ditchman. He was sent to prison but he is not there. Do you have any Richard Parker’s living on your street?
This case bears watching. Salemme at age 80 with his wounds from his run in with Mafia rivals at the Saugus IHOP probably will leave us even before Whitey.
Matt
Thanks for the breakdown of whats going on with local law enforcement in a response on another post. Curious, what aspect of law enforcement among the New England area would you say has a direct pipeline to organized crime? In other words what section of law enforcement would you suggest one apply to if they have an interest in working against organized crime in area New England area.
I often thought, and this is because of the media drive behind Bulger and Flemmi, that Salemme kind of flew under the radar in a strange way. No books written about him, no? One thing I cant wrap my head around is why is it that men like Bulger, Flemmi, and Salemme are NOT afraid of jail (specifically the prospect of getting raped and possibly gang raped). Also so man inmates get murdered in prison too, no? I understand that Bulger, Flemmi, and Martorano were tough guys because they used guns to murder but in prison one doesnt have guns to use so are they such tough fighters they feared no man?
Matt,
This story on ‘how Cadillac Frank got his name’ might be of interest to you:
http://wpri.com/2016/08/11/how-cadillac-frank-salemme-got-his-mob-nickname/
The source is David Boeri. For what it’s worth.
Hey Jon,
Your story of your brother Jaime (specifically agents showing up at his girlfriends house minutes after the Northern Ave incident) has stuck with me since you posted it a few years ago.
There is only one logical conclusion that can be arrived at….if it went down the way you wrote it did.
By the way, I did some research, and I believe we are (were) related, for a time, through marriage.
Dear Matt and readers, I just read my last post – almost as bad as my previous post. This bog can only do so much good work. But there come a time when even a smaller push (from this blog) can have outstanding results My Southie friend, Rep. Steven Lynch, would like more that anything reopen the House Committee hearings on the FBI use of confidential informants. I believe Steven Rakes was murdered protect Weeks and the federal officials that allowed hm to commit perjury.
But that’s beside point. I new witness has surfaced, my brother Jaime, who was was the closest witness to the Michael Donahu and Brian Holloran murderer. Someone (Not Whitey, his associate in the murder, of Stevie Flemmi (he wasn’t there). A dark car (not Whitey getaway car, boxed my brothers car in while the murders happened. Whitey getaway car and the other dark car drove up the via duct and departed towards Boston. Jaime drove u the via duct with em and departed towards Dorchester. The policeman speaking to fatally wound Brian Hallorhan report he said Jimmy Kelly did the shooting That policeman lived in South Boston. Every policeman living in Southie knew implicating Whitey meant death. I’ll continue later.
Dear Matt, and other readers, I’m to use Brisbane city and state libraries. always friendly staff and not the least bit crowed. But there can be probably. One of the most annoying is feeling rushed when the computer is ready to shut down. The above sentence You previously stated on this blog the FBI murder people. I meant to say the opposite – you said the FBI doen’ murder people. Sorry.
Dear Matt, Yesterday Howie Carr briefly mention “Gaga” (just the nickmane). He also mention McLaughlin gang leader Eddy McLaughlin’s nicknane “Punchy.” That nickname probably stuck in his mind because he spent to much time trying to find that Gaga was wrong saying Eddy was the Mclaughlin leader. Howie always stated Bernie McLaughln was the gang leader. When giving the “Gaga” book a two star Amazon review, Howie said he only browsed the book. I’ sure he read every word concerning Eddy – just to confirm he published the wrong information. Certain people, especially those liking flaunting their superior knowledge about subjects, HATE being proven be wrong.
I never told Howie about the “Gaga” book , so maybe he reads your blog. Howie Carr seems the type of person that sticks his nose in everything. They say he reads the comments generated by his column. He seems very insecure.
One good thing about Howie, when Steven Rakes was facing sentencing for pejury ( he had to lie because would know everything he said to the grand jury, Howie wrote a letter to the judge on Steven’s behalf. One thing you could write about (that I believe includes murder by a guy (possibly for the FBI) – he already servred a federal 10 year sentence, There are other reasons for my belief in FBI involvement – something you could write about _ William Camulite never faced justice. When Steven Rakes was murdered, Boston Herald columnist Perter Genzelis ilis sad the tirl would be very interesting. How can someone kill a respected Bostonian, a victim of Whitey Bulger – and never go to trial. It happened more than three years ago. You previously stated on this bog that THE FBI murder pople, but you must know others have done it for them.
Jim,
Wyshak was hoping DiSarro would never be found because it would be physical evidence of Salemme’s perjury at John Connolly’s trial in Boston. The Providence FBI found DiSarro through William Ricci without Boston DOJ’s involvement. Wyshak and the DOJ can’t give Connolly any chance to get out and speak publicly.
In addition to DiSarro, Salemme and Flemmi (and 2 other guys) killed Thomas Timmons in Salemme’s house in Sharon. Flemmi disclosed this to the DOJ and told them exactly where they buried Timmons’ body. Its against Wyshak’s interests to dig up Timmons so he has kept the Timmons murder out of the Globe and underground.
Of the 4 men who killed and buried Timmons, at least 2 have been immunized and joined the Wyshak team. The 3rd is quietly enjoying his retirement in Boston, and the 4th died in 1995.
Only the Boston US Attorneys Office could be unable to solve a homicide and with 2 of the 4 murderers working for them. Even if Wyshak doesn’t want to prosecute his buddies for the murder, he should be required by law to return the victim’s remains to his family. Frankly, it should at least be a moral obligation for a prosecutor to alleviate the suffering of the Timmons family under such circumstances.
Wyshak has welcomed so many murderers into his bed that his team is cannabilizing itself. He’s been forced to violate Edgar Bennett Williams’ first rule of litigation, “keep everybody in the tent pissing out.”
Salemme’s only opportunity to die outside of a prison is to give up a very big fish. With David Margolis now deceased, that big fish could be Wyshak himself. Salemme could expose how Wyshak manufactures evidence, like was done against John Connolly. Won’t happen, but it’s a happy thought. It will be interesting to see the “special treatment” Salemme gets while he’s held for trial. He’ll either be coddled or locked up tight and deep so he can’t talk to anyone. That depends on what kind of threat Wyshak perceives to himself from Salemme.
P
Patty, great comment!
Would love to hear your thoughts on the Salemme trial now underway in 2018? Your insights are fascinating.
Why the hell’ they wait so long? Flemmi told them all this in ’03, you think he had an incentive to share where the body was buried? Sounds like another circus coming up, flemmi will testify and will use that, and following the script at Connolly/Bulger as grounds for a rule 25. As Jim Bulger told me shortly after his conviction, “Stevie’s scrambling to get out of prison.”
Matt,
Don’t forget Bobby DeLuca, who has also been pulled out of witness protection for the DiSarro case. DeLuca was living in Florida after ‘mysteriously’ disappearing from the Rhode Island scene in 2010/2011, which was also around the time that all the top New England guys (Mannochio, DiNunzio, Lato) were being convicted of the scheme to extort Providence strip clubs. Salemme is old news. DeLuca seems to be the one who decapitated the head of the snake (which is since probably regenerated) by wearing a wire and telling the feds about the strip club extortion scheme. He was next in line to become the boss of New England, but it seems the feds got to him first and he cracked.
Hi Matt and thanks for an interesting article.
What is your understanding of the bombing of Barboza’s lawyer?
Do you think that the Feds will bring in Flemmi and deluca as witnesses against Salemme?