December 10, 2020 – Reputed Philadelphia mob street boss Michael (Mikey Lance) Lancellotti conducted a 2015 making ceremony held by the Bruno-Scarfo crime family and recorded by turncoat soldier Anthony Persiano, according to the Dean of American mob writing, Jerry Capeci and his Gangland News column this week. Capeci also reported longtime North Jersey mafia figure Joseph (Joe Scoops) Licata was the Philly crime family’s consigliere at the time of the making ceremony. Both identifications made in Capeci’s weekly column help mob watchers fill in the gaps for a Philly mafia organization under siege. Neither Lancellotti nor Licata were nailed in a November federal racketeering indictment and round-up of Philly mobsters, including Bruno-Scarfo underboss Steven (Handsome Stevie) Mazzone and rising-star captain Domenic (Baby Dom) Grande. Lancellotti, 58, has no federal convictions to speak of, but has been identified in open court as being the triggerman in a gangland slaying. He was arrested in a federal bookmaking case in 2007, however the charges against him were eventually dropped. The making ceremony he oversaw took place on October 15, 2015 and ushered five new initiates into the crime family, one of them being Handsome Stevie’s younger brother, Salvatore (Sonny) Mazzone, according to federal court records. Handsome Stevie Mazzone, 57, made a speech at the ceremony, allegedly staged at a private residence in South Philly, ordering a retaking of Atlantic City by the Philly mob. Following the ceremony, at least 10 mob figures present for the induction retreated to former Bruno-Scarfo bookie turned restauranteur Angelo (Fat Angie) Lutz’s Kitchen Consigliere establishment in Collingwood, New Jersey for a celebratory dinner, per Capeci’s sources. Lutz and Mazzone were put in prison for the same 2000 racketeering case. Lutz is not considered a part of organized crime anymore by authorities. Persiano was revealed as a confidential informant two years ago when cases were made against soldiers Sammy Piccolo and Joseph (Joey Electric) Servidio for narcotics trafficking (they pleaded guilty and got 12 years apiece). Piccolo and Mazzone are both Grande’s uncles. Servidio reported to “Joe Scoops” Licata, the Bruno-Scarfo clan’s unofficial historian and archivist. The 79-year old Licata got his nickname for always having the latest scoop on street gossip. His capo status dates back to the early 2000s. Lancellotti allegedly introduced Licata to the new initiates as the Philly mob’s consigliere in 2015. Piccolo and Persiano reported to Dom Grande, who became capo of Mike Lancellotti’s crew when Mikey Lance got upped to street boss. Philly mafia don Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino, who like Lancellotti avoided ensnarement in the November bust and currently resides in Florida, brought Mikey Lance and Baby Dom along to a New York mob Christmas party he was invited to in December 2014. The party was hosted by a Genovese crime family capo at his Bronx eatery and recorded and surveilled by the feds. Merlino was recorded introducing Lancellotti to Genovese button men as the “guy that’s running Philadelphia now.” Grande, 41, is allegedly being groomed to one day take Merlino’s place atop the Philly mob.
