Mob Still In NJ? 3 Big Organized Crime Cases In 2019

"The Sopranos" are long gone but the words "crime family" and "mob" are still popping up in major criminal investigations that continue in New Jersey.

And it wasn't just the arrest of a New York man in Brick Township earlier this year, in connection with the broad-daylight shooting of a reputed Gambino crime boss, that brought attention to something that remains a staple in New Jersey.

Indeed, one ongoing case involves suspects who allegedly have ties to La Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Those charged were Carl Chianese of Point Pleasant; Michael Gallicchio of Garfield; and Joseph Servidio of Upper Township, according to court documents.

The three allegedly ran a drug operation that distributed methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl, according to court documents. Indeed, the court documents even use the words "mob" and "mafia" interchangably with La Cosa Nostra.

Here are the three ongoing cases:

Servidio, Chianese and Gallicchio

Servidio, 59, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have been apparently attempting to hammer out a plea deal before the case goes to trial possibly this year, defense attorney Marco Laracca told nj.com.

But the circulation of the criminal complaint made more news this year, especially since it reads like the script from a movie.

The complaint centers around recorded conversations that led to the bust of the drug operation, and it contains several boasts made by Servidio that allegedly point to his ability to kill, his membership in La Cosa Nostra and his ability to get out of trouble:

• At one point during a recorded conversation, Servidio allegedly discusses "making my bones" at age 19. The court documents say that the phrase "making bones" signifies committing murder.
• The documents also said Servidio was identified as a "made member" or "soldier" of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra and that drug trafficking plans were approved with the intent to "broker deals, to make (Phladelphia La Cosa Nostra) money, from a distance, so it can't come back (no evidence directly linked to the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra)."
• Servidio also allegedly said this: "Eighty percent of eyewitneses got the wrong person, 80 percent, they, they look like the person ...so without any other corroborating evidence, you know what I mean, you can even beat that, you know...The things you can't beat are the tapes."
• And yet another conversation went like this, noting that Servidio's friend's son had died from a drug overdose: "His wife, when I talked to her, she said, 'You're the only person that ever sold drugs that I love,' " Servidio allegedly quoted her as saying. "I despise people because my son OD'd.' She said 'Joe please stop what you're doing (selling drugs), you hurt people.' "
• When another person said, "What's wrong with us?" upon hearing that, Servidio allegedly said: "It's the most money I can make. I like to spend money."

Brick Arrest In Killing Of Reputed Gambino Mob Boss

Anthony Comello, 24, was taken into custody in March in connection with the shooting death of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family Francesco Cali, the NYPD confirmed.

The accused killer was snatched up by the New York/New Jersey Regional Task Force three days after the mobster known as "Franky Boy" was murdered outside his Staten Island home, according to The New York Daily News.

Comello was taken into custody in Brick, about 50 miles from where he allegedly lured Cali to his death. He lured Cali out by staging a car crash, plowing a pickup truck into the mob boss's parked SUV outside his house, according to NBC4 and The Daily News.

Cali, 53, went out to see what happened and was shot dead in front of his home according to police and reports. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and was rushed to Staten Island University North where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Comello later appeared before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels in Ocean County and flashed his palm, showing writing on his hand. The words "MAGA forever" and other scribbles were visible until a court officer told him to stop, according to tweets from Steven Fabian, an Inside Edition reporter.

Read more: Accused Killer Of Mob Boss Flashes 'MAGA' On Palm In NJ Court

Morristown Man Guilty In Mob Gambling Scheme

Five men, including one from Morristown, pleaded guilty this year in connection to a gambling and money laundering scheme connected to the Genovese crime family, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal recently said.

The five men were charged, in varying combinations, in connection with a loan shark operation that netted $4.7 million in interest, a multi-million dollar offshore gambling ring, an unlicensed check cashing business that made $9 million and enabled money laundering and tax fraud and evasion, Grewal said.

All of the illegal operations went to fund "tribute" payments that went to those higher-up in the Genovese family chain of command.

Read more: Morristown Man Guilty In Mob Gambling Scheme: NJ AG