Who is this guy?
That was the question rumbling around Philadelphia and New York City Mob circles three years ago when 27 year old Pete Tuccio of Howard Beach started popping up on the news and in social media photos alongside Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino.
Tuccio could be seen most days hanging around the camera friendly Merlino as he came and went from a New York City court house during the East Coast LCN Mob trial that sent dozens of wiseguys from several crime families to prison, although not for any heavyweight time.
If you saw Joey in New York, you also saw Tuccio. On the street, in local restaurants, then even popping up in photos with Merlino and his Philadelphia crew members in the City of Brotherly Love.
It begged the question “who is this guy” and why does he have access to the reputed Boss of Philadelphia and some of his top lieutenants.
The answer to that question is still elusive. Some say Tuccio has ties to New York Mafia figures, others say Joey took Tuccio under his wing as a favor to another high ranking wiseguy in the Lucchese Crime family. Yet another theory out there, Joey liked the guy, they got along, and Tuccio was simply showing him around New York.
You pick one. The real reason we may never know. Perhaps, just friends.
Tuccio meanwhile has been hold up at his family’s Howard Beach, New York home now for over two years on house arrest after he got popped by the feds in an arson case where he and two other low level associates allegedly torched the Mercedes of a NYC Gambino Crime Family Captain who the feds claim wasn’t handing over his $400 in cash to another wiseguy.
From the start, Tuccio, described by the feds as an associate of the Gambino Crime family, and his lawyer, James Kousouros, have vehemently denied the charges, with Tuccio publicly railing against cooperators or “rats” as he frequently called them.
Tuccio, who was originally charged with arson, conspiracy, extortion and use of fire to commit a felony, apparently had a change of heart on his case in November and a change of plea hearing was set for this week.
Tuccio appeared in federal court Wednesday and plead guilty to the use of fire to commit a felony. He is now awaiting sentencing and is expected to immediately begin serving his 10-year sentence.
His two co-defendants, Jonathan Gurino and Gino Gabrielli, have already plead guilty. Gabrielli to arson charges, Gurino to extortionate collection of credit and extortion. They have not been sentenced.
“With today’s guilty plea, Tuccio has been convicted of an offense arising from his efforts to extort a local businessman by brazenly chasing him through the streets and then setting his car ablaze,” stated Acting United States Attorney Seth DuCharme.
“This Office, together with our partners at the FBI, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute members and associates of organized crime to eradicate the danger they pose to our community,” DuCharme added.
Merlino has been mum on the subject of Tuccio ever since his arrest and Merlino’s two year prison bit on gambling charges from the East Coast LCN case. He was released early because of Covid19 issues at federal prisons across the country.
Merlino was on house arrest himself until he was finally released back in July. He’s now halfway through his year of supervised release. He is prohibited from associating with fellow wiseguys and go about his business without official federal scrutiny.
Several mob associates, including one of Tuccio’s co-defendants, were expected to testify against Tuccio if he went to trial.
There have been long standing questions about why federal investigators seem so interested in Tuccio, the young “up and comer”. Is it because of past alleged indiscretions or is it something related to his close relationship with “Philadelphia’s Dapper Don” Merlino.
So far those questions have not been answered. Stay tuned to Mobtalksitdown.com
