Luigi Giovanni Manocchio | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 1968 mugshot of Manocchio | |
| Born | (1927-06-23)June 23, 1927 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 2024(2024-12-08) (aged 97) Bristol, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Other names | "Baby Shacks", "Louie", "The Professor", "The Old Man" |
| Occupation(s) | Crime boss,mobster |
| Allegiance | Patriarca crime family |
| Conviction | Extortion (2012) |
| Criminal penalty | Five and a half years' imprisonment |
Luigi Giovanni "Baby Shacks"Manocchio (June 23, 1927 – December 8, 2024) was an Americanmobster fromProvidence, Rhode Island. He was the boss of theNew England-basedPatriarca crime family, which is part of theAmerican Mafia.[1][2]
Manocchio had a criminal record dating back to the 1940s. In November of 1967 he was shot in the neck and seriously wounded during a running gun battle on Federal Hill in Providence. In 1969, Manocchio was indicted for participating in the murders of Rudolph Marfeo and Anthony Melei.[3] He fled toFrance, but later returned to the United States, living undercover inNew York City for most of the 1970s.[4] In 1979, Manocchio finally surrendered to law enforcement and pleaded guilty to several lesser charges. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
In July 1996, Manocchio wasindicted with 43 others in a burglary ring. Prosecutors claimed that this Patriarca-sanctioned gang was responsible for stealing $10 million in merchandise. When his trial began in April 1999, Manocchio pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to three years ofprobation.[3] From that point, Manocchio continued his steady rise in the ranks oforganized crime, becoming boss in 1996.
Manocchio was promoted to boss of the Patriarca family following the imprisonment of many of the organization's other leaders. He was described as a "shrewd, opportunistic old-school leader who excels at keeping a low profile" and "tough and capable".[3] Mannochio's headquarters was alaundromat in theFederal Hill section ofProvidence.
In March 1999, theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) charged family enforcer Jim Palumbo inNew Haven, Connecticut, and associates Rocco Folco and Anthony St. Laurent withloan sharking. In December 2004, Palumbo was named, but not indicted, and later jailed, in a case involvingBoston mob captain Frederick Simone as the defendant. The indictment identified Manocchio as Patriarca family boss, Alexander "Sonny Boy" Rizzo as underboss, Rocco Argenta asconsigliere and Carmen DiNunzio, Mark Rosetti andMatthew Guglielmetti ascapos.
On January 20, 2005, the FBI raided the Providence office of theLaborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) and the offices of Capital City Concrete inCranston, Rhode Island, all part of an investigation into laborracketeering in theRhode Island construction business. Among those arrested in the Capital City raid was Guglielmetti, who was charged with overseeing distribution ofcocaine bound for Canada, andmoney laundering.[5]
In November 2009, Manocchio reportedly ceded control of the Patriarca family to mobster Peter Limone.[6] Limone died of cancer on June 19, 2017.[7]
On January 20, 2011, Manocchio was indicted on charges of extorting payments from the owners of the Cadillac Lounge and Satin Doll club, bothadult entertainment establishments in Providence. The indictment listed his nicknames as "Louie", "The Professor", "The Old Man", or "Baby Shacks".[8] In 2012, Manocchio pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. Manocchio told the court: "By virtue of my position, I inherited the deeds of my associates" and "I simply do not want my family or my friends to believe I personally threatened anybody."[9]
On May 12, 2015, Manocchio was moved from federal prison inButner, North Carolina, to ahalfway house in Providence. On November 4, 2015, Manocchio was released.[10]
Manocchio died inBristol, Rhode Island, on December 8, 2024, at the age of 97.[11][12][13]
| American Mafia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Patriarca crime family Boss 1996–2009 | Succeeded by Peter Limone |
