Timothy J. Mello
Encyclopedia
Timothy "Timmy the Bat" Mello (born September 21, 1956) is a Fall River, Massachusetts
mobster associated with the Patriarca crime family
.
in August 1990, soon after newspapers reported he had become head of Boston's criminal operations, Mello and other criminals in the New England area were contacted.
On the night of August 14, 1990, Mello was observed with Gordon O'Brien, William Anthony, a recently paroled freelance hitman from West Warwick, as they sat in a parked car in on the East Side of Providence,Rhode Island. Although initially holding back on the assumption the three men may have been detectives, patrolman Frank Moody approached the car to investigate when Mello was seen taking a blackjack
and throwing it onto the car's rear window sill.
Taking the men into custody at gunpoint, a later search of the car turned up police equipment including badges, handcuffs, "police" printed baseball caps, a portable police scanner, a police spotlight and siren. Anthony readily agreed to cooperate with authorities, however, refusing to submit to a lie detector
test, Anthony was dropped from entering the Witness Protection Program. Although an altercation between Mello and officers attempting to fingerprint him would result in his being restrained by several detectives while in custody, the three would be released on bail (Hanrahan, who had been waiting in a van a block from the others, had fled the scene after witnessing their arrest).
State investigators later discovered through talks with Anthony that the three were planning to kidnap Patriarca bookmaker Blaise Marfeo. Waiting outside his Adesso Restaurant, the men would "arrest" Marfeo on the pretense of a routine traffic stop and drive him to a safehouse in Fall River where they would ransom him for between $250,000-$300,000 or simply murder him.
three years following their disappearance in 1995, and Gerard Ouimette who would eventually be convicted of extortion charges that same year. Associate Peter "Thumbs" Costa was also questioned in the disappearance of other rivals, but refused to talk to authorities.
With Mello left as the dominant figure in the local underworld, he soon entered into legitimate businesses including the fishing industry building a multimillion dollar empire over a nine year period as the owner of Tempest Fisheries processing plant in 1994 and controlling over small fleet of fishing boats as well as the Fall River-based insurance company Cost Plus, the property management company TEK Properties and local King's Highway
restaurant Fatso's (formerly the Rocking Horse Pub).
In recent years, he has made large donations to local organizations through Tempest Fisheries including Fall River youth sports, drug rehabilitation centers and, most notably, the donation of $25,000 to the newly built Atlantis Charter School in 2001.
on September 17, 2002. Indicted by authorities on 51 charges including extortion and waterfront racketeering charges, including the forced takeover of Tempest Fisheries, Mello was also accused of using five fishing vessels for the purposes of smuggling and distributing marijuana and cocaine in the Fall River and New Bedford area.
On November 17, 2003, Mello pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge. On May 24, 2004, Mello received his sentence: 12 years in jail, with three years of supervised release afterwards.http://www.barabusiness.com/money_laundering_investigations.htm
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
mobster associated with the Patriarca crime family
Patriarca crime family
The Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
.
Association with the Patriarca family
During the successful federal prosecutions of the Patriacra's in the early 1990s, remaining Patriarca members began fighting amongst each other for power as Frank Salemme began to consolidate his position in Boston. After a failed attempt on Salemme's life in Saugus, MassachusettsSaugus, Massachusetts
Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...
in August 1990, soon after newspapers reported he had become head of Boston's criminal operations, Mello and other criminals in the New England area were contacted.
On the night of August 14, 1990, Mello was observed with Gordon O'Brien, William Anthony, a recently paroled freelance hitman from West Warwick, as they sat in a parked car in on the East Side of Providence,Rhode Island. Although initially holding back on the assumption the three men may have been detectives, patrolman Frank Moody approached the car to investigate when Mello was seen taking a blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
and throwing it onto the car's rear window sill.
Taking the men into custody at gunpoint, a later search of the car turned up police equipment including badges, handcuffs, "police" printed baseball caps, a portable police scanner, a police spotlight and siren. Anthony readily agreed to cooperate with authorities, however, refusing to submit to a lie detector
Polygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
test, Anthony was dropped from entering the Witness Protection Program. Although an altercation between Mello and officers attempting to fingerprint him would result in his being restrained by several detectives while in custody, the three would be released on bail (Hanrahan, who had been waiting in a van a block from the others, had fled the scene after witnessing their arrest).
State investigators later discovered through talks with Anthony that the three were planning to kidnap Patriarca bookmaker Blaise Marfeo. Waiting outside his Adesso Restaurant, the men would "arrest" Marfeo on the pretense of a routine traffic stop and drive him to a safehouse in Fall River where they would ransom him for between $250,000-$300,000 or simply murder him.
Return to Fall River
After the gangland slaying of Hanrahan, Mello retreated from Providence and began competing with rival criminals over bookmaking operations from the recently retired Donald Waterhouse. His rivals included Louie Alexander, and Joe Savitch, whose remains would be found in northern MaineMaine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
three years following their disappearance in 1995, and Gerard Ouimette who would eventually be convicted of extortion charges that same year. Associate Peter "Thumbs" Costa was also questioned in the disappearance of other rivals, but refused to talk to authorities.
With Mello left as the dominant figure in the local underworld, he soon entered into legitimate businesses including the fishing industry building a multimillion dollar empire over a nine year period as the owner of Tempest Fisheries processing plant in 1994 and controlling over small fleet of fishing boats as well as the Fall River-based insurance company Cost Plus, the property management company TEK Properties and local King's Highway
King's Highway
King's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria* Kings Highway , Australia* King's Highway , United States* King's Highway King's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway (ancient) an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria*...
restaurant Fatso's (formerly the Rocking Horse Pub).
In recent years, he has made large donations to local organizations through Tempest Fisheries including Fall River youth sports, drug rehabilitation centers and, most notably, the donation of $25,000 to the newly built Atlantis Charter School in 2001.
Federal prosecution and imprisonment
Shortly after becoming married the previous July, Mello was arrested by federal agents at his home in DartmouthDartmouth, Massachusetts
Dartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
on September 17, 2002. Indicted by authorities on 51 charges including extortion and waterfront racketeering charges, including the forced takeover of Tempest Fisheries, Mello was also accused of using five fishing vessels for the purposes of smuggling and distributing marijuana and cocaine in the Fall River and New Bedford area.
On November 17, 2003, Mello pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge. On May 24, 2004, Mello received his sentence: 12 years in jail, with three years of supervised release afterwards.http://www.barabusiness.com/money_laundering_investigations.htm
External links
- SouthCoastToday.com - Timothy Mello: Fall River to Federal Hill by John Doherty
- SouthCoastToday.com - In racketeering case, dead men tell no tales by John Doherty
- SouthCoastToday.com - FBI out to prove Mello ties to Mafia by John Doherty
- SouthCoastToday.com - Mello established himself early as a force to be reckoned with by John Doherty
- SouthCoastToday.com - Indictment alleges city crime empire by John Doherty, Matt Apuzzo and Curt Brown
- MobMagazine.com - New England mobsters aren't what they used to be