Joseph Messina
Charged in the 1982 New York case. The indictment, as the Eleventh Circuit summarizes it, named him and Dominick Napolitano as the two "captains" whom the three men killed in May 1981 sought to displace. He did not appear for trial.
- Family
- Bonanno family, in the 1982 indictment as the Eleventh Circuit summarizes it (charge, 1985)
- Role
- One of two "captains," Napolitano being the other, in the 1982 indictment (charge, as summarized in 1985)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 1 June 1981 — A Brooklyn/Queens teletype (Vault, p. 97): "It is believed that Dominick Napolitano, aka 'Sonny Black', and Joseph Messina, both capos, are responsible for the family realignment under the direction of Phillip Rastelli." FBI teletype, not a finding.
- 1982 — United States v. Napolitano, 552 F. Supp. 465: "the fact is that Napolitano and Messina are not being tried in absentia." Court opinion.
- 5 March 1985 — United States v. Ruggiero, 754 F.2d 927: "Neither Napolitano nor Messina appeared for trial." Court opinion.
- 12 December 1986 — A New York airtel (Vault, p. 292) says evidence in the Episcopia case was needed "against Joseph Messina acting head of the Bonanno family at his upcoming trial in January 1987." FBI airtel.
No record filed here reports the outcome of any trial of Messina, his birth, or his death. “Capos” and “acting head” are FBI labels and are not charted on the Bonanno family page.
Records
itemUnited States v. Ruggiero, 754 F.2d 927 (11th Cir. 1985)The Eleventh Circuit rejects Benjamin Ruggiero's and John Cerasani's double-jeopardy challenge to a 1983 Florida RICO indictment. It summarizes the 1982 New York case, in which Ruggiero was convicted of RICO conspiracy and sentenced to fifteen years, and says "Ruggiero was a member of the 'crew' captained by Napolitano."itemUnited States v. Napolitano, 552 F. Supp. 465 (S.D.N.Y. 1982)Judge Robert W. Sweet's pretrial rulings of January to July 1982 in the RICO case against Dominick Napolitano, Benjamin Ruggiero and others, charged as members or associates of "the Bonanno Family of La Cosa Nostra." The opinion records that "Ruggiero had been told that an FBI agent, Donnie Brasco, had infiltrated his activities."
itemFBI Vault, Operation Donnie Brasco, Part 01, viewer pp. 97-98 (June 1, 1981)A Brooklyn-Queens teletype of June 1, 1981: "the Bonanno LCN family is presently undergoing a power struggle that has resulted in the deaths of three family capos," Sonny Red Indelicato, Phillip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera. It says Benjamin Ruggiero would travel to Canada.
itemFBI Vault, Operation Donnie Brasco, Part 01, viewer pp. 288-293 (1984-1986): James EpiscopiaFBI reports on James Episcopia, a defendant in the 1982 case. They record his conviction on December 12, 1983 for methaqualone conspiracy and distribution, a sentence in November 1984, and a five-year sentence imposed by Judge Robert W. Sweet on November 17, 1986.
itemFBI Vault, Operation Donnie Brasco, Part 01, viewer pp. 97-98 (June 1, 1981)A Brooklyn-Queens teletype of June 1, 1981: "the Bonanno LCN family is presently undergoing a power struggle that has resulted in the deaths of three family capos," Sonny Red Indelicato, Phillip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera. It says Benjamin Ruggiero would travel to Canada.itemFBI Vault, Operation Donnie Brasco, Part 01, viewer pp. 288-293 (1984-1986): James EpiscopiaFBI reports on James Episcopia, a defendant in the 1982 case. They record his conviction on December 12, 1983 for methaqualone conspiracy and distribution, a sentence in November 1984, and a five-year sentence imposed by Judge Robert W. Sweet on November 17, 1986.