James Martorano

James Martorano
Born (1941-12-10) December 10, 1941 (age 83)
Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S.
NationalityAmerican/Italian
Other namesJimmy
Occupation(s)Gangster, Caporegime
Years active1970s–1992
RelativesJohnny Martorano (brother)
AllegiancePatriarca crime family
Criminal chargeLoansharking, extortion and horse race-fixing

James Martorano (Italian: [martoˈraːno]; born December 10, 1941) is an American organized crime figure with ties to the Winter Hill Gang of South Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of the Patriarca crime family as of 1995.[1] Martorano is the younger brother of notorious "hitman" and later government witness, John Martorano.

Early life

James Martorano was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. His father, Angelo "Andy" Martorano was an immigrant from Riesi, Sicily, Italy. His mother, Elizabeth Mary "Bess" Hunt, was an Irish-American full-time homemaker. The Martorano family soon moved to East Milton, Massachusetts.[2]

Martorano attended Thayerlands Elementary School in Braintree, Massachusetts, and graduated from Milton High School[3] in Milton, Massachusetts, in 1959. His graduating high school yearbook quote was "Popularity is Glory".

He later went on to achieve a Bachelor of Arts from Boston College after accepting an athletic scholarship, something his brother John turned down after many potential offers.

Criminal career

In 1976, as an associate of the Winter Hill Gang of Boston, Martorano was convicted of loansharking, extortion and fixing horse races.[4][5] Martorano was convicted due to information provided to federal authorities by fellow gang members, James Bulger and Stephen Flemmi.[6] After Martorano was sent to prison, his friend and informant Stephen Flemmi said, "Jimmy does good time". Martorano studied law while incarcerated.[1] He made several appeals of his conviction and was granted a new trial in 1980.[7] This decision, however, was reversed by the First Circuit Court of Appeals.[8] After his release, he worked as paralegal.[1]

In 1992, Martorano, then living in Quincy, Massachusetts, was one of 11 men arrested after a federal racketeering indictment was unsealed in Newark, New Jersey. The indictment accused Martorano of having conversations with Genovese crime family members in Boston, Staten Island, and Stamford, Connecticut, about gambling, extortion, and murder.[9] Martorano's trial was severed from the trials of the others, eight of whom were convicted at a jury trial of charges relating to illegal gambling in Atlantic City and attempts to obtain construction contracts for Atlantic City International Airport.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Rakowsky, Judy and Matthew Brelis, "US panel indicts Bulger, Salemme", The Boston Globe, January 1, 1995, pg1
  2. ^ Carr, Howie. (2011). Hitman : the untold story of Johnny Martorano : Whitey Bulger's enforcer and the most feared gangster in the underworld (1st ed.). New York: Forge. ISBN 978-0-7653-2639-3. OCLC 651912636.
  3. ^ Kelly, John P. "Winter Hill Gang hitman to appear on '60 Minutes'". Woburn Advocate. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  4. ^ "United States of America, Appellee, v. James Martorano, Appellant", United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. - 557 F.2d 1, Argued December 13, 1976
  5. ^ "$100,000 BAIL IN RACE-FIX CASE" Archived May 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Boston Globe, December 14, 1979
  6. ^ Bloom, Robert M, Ratting: the use and abuse of informants in the American justice system, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, ISBN 0-275-96818-9
  7. ^ "UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. James MARTORANO, Defendant-Appellant", United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit, 610 F.2d 36, Argued March 15, 1979. Decided December 6, 1979.
  8. ^ Circuit, First (February 1980). "620 F2d 912 United States v. Martorano". p. 912.
  9. ^ Sullivan, Joseph F., "New Indictment Cites Talk of Killing Gravano Family, The New York Times, March 19, 1992
  10. ^ W. F. Keough, Mobsters Convicted in Moves on Atlantic City, Press of Atlantic City (May 12, 1993).