Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By W. Zachary Malinowski
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- State and local police have broken up a mob-sanctioned gambling ring that handled more than $400,000 in illegal bets on college and professional football in the past two months.

Teams of police officers fanned out across Providence, Cranston, North Providence and Cumberland this morning to arrest 10 suspects on a variety of gambling, firearm and drug charges. One of the suspects tried to destroy gambling ledgers from Monday night's football game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers by tossing them into a roaring fire in his fireplace, the police said.

The charred edges of the notebook paper were on display at a news conference at state police headquarters.

The state police identified the two ring leaders of the operation as Jason McMahon, 31, of 1771 Atwood Ave., Johnston; and Michael Sepe, 30, of 1002 Pontiac Ave., Cranston. They were both charged with racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.

McMahon also was charged with delivery of marijuana, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, (four counts); possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; possession of a narcotic, Adderall; and possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Adderall is a stimulant that is used to treat attention deficit order.

State Police Lt. Col. Steven G. O'Donnell said the investigation was launched in October after state police detectives learned that McMahon was running a gambling operation out his home in Johnston. They quickly learned that he allegedly was dealing drugs, too.

O'Donnell said that "dozens'' of gamblers regularly placed wagers on games ranging from $20 to "thousands of dollars.''

"We believe it is sanctioned by La Cosa Nostra,'' O'Donnell said.

Detectives listened to hours of court-authorized wiretaps and O'Donnell said that the bookmakers switched phone numbers six times in two months. The police seized two shotguns, a 2004 Toyota pickup, more than $4,000 in cash, three laptop computers, marijuana, prescription drugs and betting ledgers.

Others arrested and charged are:
-- Robert Rossi, 62, of 70 Fiat Ave., Cranston, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Kyle Benchsky, 25, of 185 Budlong Rd., Cranston, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Stephen DeBankah, 27, of 21 Woodman St., Providence, racketeering, organized criminal gambling, bookmaking and conspiracy.
-- Antonio Porreca, 33, of 522 Fruit Hill Rd., North Providence, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- Michael Pescatore, 28, of 7 Buratti Rd., Johnston, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- Nelson Salgado, 25, of 233 George Waterman Rd., Johnston, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to deliver.
-- David Guccione, 54, of 15 Barry Ct., North Providence, possession of marijuana and soliciting another to commit a crime.
-- James Rekrut, 30, of 47 Rosemere Rd., Cumberland, soliciting another to commit a crime.

A state police van brought the 10 suspects to District Court in Providence yesterday afternoon for their arraignments. Several of them were expected to be ordered held at the Adult Correctional Institutions

 Tags  mob state police

Comments

k said:

What idiots!! Hope they think it was worth all the hurt and embarrassment their families will endure this Christmas because of their pettiness and greed.

Link | December 23, 2008 4:00 PM
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Nomoreri said:

Typical of the stupid mob dum dums and even more typical of the cops to do this just before the holidays. So you have dumb vs heartless. Who do you root for?

Link | December 23, 2008 6:00 PM
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vinny said:

The jurinal just cant get enuf of this organized crime thing. I guess that it helps sell the 46 papers that they now sell daily.

LOL! Yeah, it was sanctioned by La Cosa Nostradamus all right!!

Please! Gimme a break!

Link | December 23, 2008 11:51 PM
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Kim said:

The idiots families are not hurt and embarrassed. They knew they were doing it, and did nothing.

Link | December 24, 2008 12:43 AM
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SR said:

first off, none of these men are in the mob, and if you believe everything you read or hear, then YOU are the idiot. Second off, everyone makes mistakes and i know for fact that the families of these 10 individuals are trying to be supportive and show them comfort at this time. The newspaper, news reports, and police did a wonderful job blowing this way out of proportion. The police have more important crime to fight.

Link | December 29, 2008 11:02 AM
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joe grunts said:

there all idiots. they were all playing the game but wern't high enough up to be protected. the sacrificial lambs, all no names, if they were known they would have known who to kick up to and wouldn't have been there . the feds and state police dont want the real guys who have info on them and are liabilities. how weird just at the end of the year when you have to try and get more funding for investigations and show what you got for the money last year. better make it look good

Link | April 11, 2009 4:34 PM
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