Tapes hint to violent nature of crime ring

Thomas 'Sonny' Ciancutti sighed and bowed his head Monday as prosecutors played a taped conversation that purportedly showed how intimidation and threats were used by his organized crime ring to run a lucrative gambling empire in western Pennsylvania.

Ciancutti, 71, of New Kensington, doesn't speak on the tapes, but police contend his underlings, whose conversations were recorded, refer to him by various aliases.

In one excerpt, played yesterday for District Justice Wendy Dennis in Farmington, prosecutors said an underling refers to Ciancutti as 'Brown.' The underling discusses contacting 'Brown' to ask about taking a bet on Major League Baseball from a gambler who has trouble covering his wagers.

'I called Brown. I said their reputations aren't too fancy. He said, 'Can they go to Mars (to avoid paying)?' Ha ha,' said the underling, identified by Trooper David E. Willig as Ralph 'Big Head' Maselli, 60, of the Overbrook section of Pittsburgh.

'I got this other big ... gorilla. If they attempt to (expletive deleted) Big Head, there'll be a world of ... trouble,' Maselli supposedly said.

The tape was part of the evidence introduced during yesterday's seven-hour preliminary hearing for Ciancutti, Maselli and Jeffrey Risha, 46, of Uniontown, on charges they operated a mob-controlled illegal gambling operation that brought in close to $500,000 a week during the football season.

Dennis continued the hearing until 1 p.m. today, when defense attorneys are to present their arguments before the district justice rules if the charges should be held for court.

Ciancutti is accused of supervising an illegal sports bookmaking business and operating video gambling devices since Nov. 1, 1995, in various locations in Allegheny, Fayette and Westmoreland counties.

Ciancutti over the years has been connected to top western Pennsylvania mobsters such as the late Samuel and Gabriel 'Kelly' Mannarino and John 'Duffy' Conley. Conley is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence as mastermind of an illegal video poker machine empire.

At the height of football season, Ciancutti allegedly made more than $50,000 a week, according to Attorney General Mike Fisher, who announced the arrest of Ciancutti and 14 other organized crime figures in October.

Ciancutti is charged with two counts of racketeering, one count each of criminal conspiracy, bookmaking and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and three counts of dealing with illegal gambling devices.

Maselli is charged with two counts of racketeering, one count each of criminal conspiracy, insurance fraud and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and three counts each of bookmaking and dealing with illegal gambling devices.

Charges against Maselli were amended yesterday to include two counts of tax evasion.

Risha is charged with single counts of criminal conspiracy and operating an illegal lottery, two counts of racketeering and three counts of bookmaking.

In the tapes played yesterday, Risha and Maselli primarily discuss how to 'even up' or balance their books, and how much to pay 'Brown' or 'Sonny.' They never use the name Ciancutti.

Police attempted to establish Ciancutti's connection to the gambling ring primarily through a number of daily observations that one undercover officer made at the Ladbroke at the Meadows off-track betting parlor in Harmar Township, Allegheny County.

Willig testified that he sat near Ciancutti almost daily over several months at the Ladbroke location and pretended to pay attention to races as he listened in.

He said Maselli usually showed up at Ladbroke for lunch. Ciancutti and Maselli often discussed their gambling business at that time, and several times exchanged money, Willig said.

Willig said that on several occasions he heard Maselli refer to Ciancutti by one of his nicknames.

'He would usually call him Brown, Doctor or Sonny,' said Willig.

Deputy Attorney General Mark A. Serge said his case against Ciancutti is, for the most part, concluded. But Ciancutti's attorney, Irving M. Green of New Kensington, said he will return today to argue his case.

'They have nothing in evidence to show that Mr. Brown and Sonny are Ciancutti,' said Green.

Maselli's attorney agreed that the prosecution's case is lacking.

'They may not have a case if they don't make these leaps,' said Pittsburgh attorney Paul D. Boas.

Also charged with criminal conspiracy and other crimes in connection with the alleged gambling ring were: