Copyright 1990 Newsday, Inc.  

Newsday (New York)
August 15, 1990, Wednesday, CITY EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 33

LENGTH: 297 words

HEADLINE: Extortion, Gambling Cited in Indictments

BYLINE: By Anthony M. DeStefano

BODY:
Eleven reputed members and associates of the Genovese crime family were charged in two federal indictments yesterday with a wide-ranging series of crimes, including labor racketeering, extortion and gambling.

The indictments, the result of an 18-month investigation, were handed up by grand juries last month and unsealed yesterday after a joint task force of federal agents and city police arrested eight of the defendants.

Among those arrested was Alfonso Tarricone, 58, of Ozone Park, Queens, identified by law enforcement as a soldier in the Genovese crime family. Tarricone was charged with two counts of racketeering and three counts of loan-sharking.

The three at large include James Messera, 53, of Douglaston, who is allegedly a captain in the crime family. Messera was charged with two counts of racketeering, extortion, four counts of loan-sharking and two counts of gambling.

According to the labor racketeering indictment, the defendants were involved in a scheme to control the affairs of the Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York and various locals of the Laborers' International Union of North America. Officials with the organizations could not be reached for comment.

Other defendants named in the racketeering indictment and arrested are Jerome Basile, 66, of Queens; Albert Soussi, 40, of Central Islip, L.I.; Louis Casciano, 60, of Central Islip, L.I.; Anthony Scaretti, 69, of Manhattan, a fugitive; Edward DioVisalvo, 45, of Tenafly, N.J.; Norman Henig, 43, of Mahopac, and Andrew Esposito, 65, of Manhattan, also a fugitive. A second indictment charged Francesco DeAngelo, 72, and Albert Matra, 65, both from Manhattan, with conspiracy to run a gambling operation in Little Italy. Both men were also arrested yesterday authorities said.