Mobtalksitdown.com has learned that former Philly Mob Boss John Stanfa was just recently transferred from a federal prison in Pennsylvania to the Federal Prison Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts.
The 80 year old Stanfa is serving five life sentences for his 1995 conviction on racketeering, murder, conspiracy and loansharking charges in one of the biggest Federal Mob takedowns in Philadelphia Mafia history. Stanfa and more than two dozen mobsters and associates were convicted and sentenced to prison.
Federal Bureau of Prisons online records show Stanfa, who will turn 81 later this year, was moved to FMC Devens from a medium security prison at FCI Schuykill in Pennsylvania. No reason for the move was disclosed. Mobtalksitdown.com is still awaiting word on the prison transfer.
Stanfa has been serving his sentence since he was convicted in November 1995 on 33 of 35 counts against him after a headline making, three month long federal trial. The trial followed a murderous Mob War with up and coming Mob Boss Joey Merlino back in the early 90s.
When Stanfa went to prison, Merlino and former Mob Boss Ralph Natale took over the Philadelphia Family. Natale later flipped and became the first Mob Boss to become a cooperating witness against Merlino and nine others. Merlino and several top lieutenants were convicted and jailed on sentences ranging from 8-13 years.
Natale, 86, testified for days and was subjected to grueling cross examination that undermined his testimony. He was later sent to prison for more than a dozen years. He was released and most recently wrote a book called “Last Don Standing” with writers Larry McShane and Dan Pearson.
Merlino was released from federal custody in 2020 on his most recent gambling conviction and subsequently from federal supervision back in July.
Stanfa and his Mafia cohorts were convicted mainly on secretly recorded tapes and the testimony of Mobster turned cooperator John Veasey.
Veasey took the stand even after his brother Billy was brutally executed as he left his South Philly home on the day John Veasey was set to testify against Stanfa. Several days later, Veasey took the stand and by all accounts buried Stanfa and his co-defendants.
Merlino and several of his fellow mobsters were later charged with conspiracy to murder Billy Veasey, but were not convicted.
Mobtalksitdown.com has reached out to several sources about Stanfa’s recent prison transfer, we will update this story when more information becomes available.
