May 18, 2007 3:22 pm US/Central
Reputed Mobster Admits To 14 Murders
Nicholas Calabrese Pleads Guilty To Mob Hits, Loan Sharking, Collecing Illegal Gambling Debts
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A reputed mobster pleaded guilty Friday to charges that he participated in more than a dozen murders.
Nicholas Calabrese entered the plea before U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel. Calabrese, 64, was one of 14 reputed mobsters charged in the "Family Secrets" case in 2005.
In the plea, Calabrese admitted to loan sharking for the Outfit – the traditional name for the Chicago mob – and collecting debts from illegal gambling.
He also admitted to planning and committing murders on behalf of the Outfit with his older brother, Frank Calabrese Sr., and several others.
Among the murder victims were Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, a mob enforcer who ruled Las Vegas in the 1970s and early 1980s, and his brother Michael. They were last seen alive on June 14, 1986. Their badly beaten bodies were found buried in the Indiana field eight days later.
Joe Pesci played a character based on Tony Spilotro in the 1995 movie "Casino."
Calabrese also admitted involvement in the torture death of powerful reputed mob hit man William "Butch" Petrocelli, and the murder of Hinsdale businessman Michael Cagnoni, who was killed when a bomb went off in his car while he drove on the Tri-State Tollway.
In additionl, Calabrese admitted to killing another mob hit man, John Fecarotta, personally, the plea said.
If convicted, Calabrese could receive life in prison.
The 14 mobsters implicated in the Family Secrets case were accused in at least 18 murders going back to 1970. In addition to the Calabrese brothers, those charged included Joey "The Clown" Lombardo, long known as one of the top leaders of organized crime in the Chicago area.
Among the others charged were veteran enforcer Frank Schweihs and onetime reputed mob boss James Marcello, who were implicated by Calabrese in the plea.
A sentencing date for Calabrese was not immediately available.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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