FBI agents swooped down on South Philadelphia Thursday morning just before 6 a.m. and arrested Reputed Mob Soldier Salvatore “Sonny” Mazzone along with four other associates in an ongoing federal “bookmaking investigation”, that could include other so far undisclosed charges.
Mazzone, the younger brother of one time acting Mob Boss Steven Mazzone, was arrested at his row home on Hartranft Street around 5:45 a.m. by a large group of FBI agents and Pennsylvania State Police. The arrest drew the attention of neighbors on the block as Mazzone was lead away by authorities.
Steven Mazzone’s former father in law was also picked up in the early morning raid. He’s the former proprietor of a South Philadelphia bar where mobsters used to gather for their annual Christmas party in past years. Sources say he was taken to a hospital by federal authorities.
Steven Mazzone was not arrested or charged in Thursday’s raid.
Three others, including John Romeo, were also picked up by federal agents.
Federal documents on the case are sealed. Federal authorities refused comment on the case.
Both Sonny Mazzone and Romeo are in the federal Detention Center (FDC) in Philadelphia, according to Bureau of Prisons records.
These arrests come amidst a flurry of activity by the FBI in the past six days. Last Friday, four aging defendants were arrested in early morning raids on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and distributing 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Kenneth Arabia, Daniel Malatesta Sr., Daniel “Cozzi’ Castelli and Daniel Bucceroni are caught up in the alleged drug conspiracy that appears to be an off-shoot from the 2018 arrest of four South Jersey wiseguys and associates in another drug conspiracy that also included cocaine and heroin.
Those four defendants in the earlier 2018 drug indictment in South Jersey have plead guilty and received substantial sentences. Mob Soldier Joseph “Joey Electric” Servidio was sentenced last month to 15 years in federal prison. Servidio is a soldier under Newark, N.J. Capo Joseph “Scoops” Licata from the Philadelphia Crime Family.
Salvatore “Sam” Piccolo, a mob associate from Atlantic City, was sentenced last year to 12.5 years in federal prison in the same drug case. He plead to selling methamphetamine to undercover FBI agents on at least three occasions.
Piccolo is the uncle of South Philly Mob Captain Domenic “Teflon Dom” Grande. Grande has not been charged with any crimes. He refused to comment after Piccolo’s sentencing in a Camden Federal Court.
Two other associates also plead guilty to drug charges. One was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the other to five years.
Earlier this week, the FBI also released surveillance camera pictures and posted a $10,000 reward from the December 2012 Mob hit on 50 year old Gino DiPietro in South Philly.
DiPietro was gunned down on Iseminger Street at Johnston Street at 3 p.m. by a lone gunman dressed in black. The shooter wore a ski mask and a hoodie, then fled down a nearby alley. He was captured on video from a nearby home as he made his escape to a waiting getaway car that sped off into South Philadelphia.
Witnesses described the black Honda Pilot SUV to police and gave the license plate number to investigators.
The SUV was tracked within minutes to the Packer Park home of Philly Mob Soldier Anthony Nicodemo. Surveillance cameras near Nicodemo’s home were recording as he arrived in a alleyway behind his home and entered his house.
Police arrested the 48 year old Nicodemo within minutes and found the alleged murder weapon, a ski mask and a sweatshirt in the rear of his SUV.
Nicodemo was tried on murder charges, but the case ended in a mistrial after Nicodemo tried to claim he was the victim of a gun point carjacking. He later plead to lesser charges and was sentenced to 25-30 years in state prison.
He has already served eight years behind bars. He is currently housed in the new Phoenix State Correctional Institution, just minutes from Philadelphia. Sources say he has refused to cooperate with investigators or name the shooter in the DiPietro gangland style murder.
The renewed interest in the unsolved DiPietro homicide and the recent drug case has South Philly wiseguys on edge. Sources say several have been observed in recent days “walking and talking” in the exclusive Packer Park neighborhood and at the nearby Reserve development.
Lawyers for the defendants arrested this week have so far not commented on the case.
Sources say more arrests are expected.
