December 1, 2019 — Springfield (MA) mobsters Richie Valentini and Gerry Daniele were both released from federal prison in recent weeks and are residing in a local halfway house after serving a year and a half behind bars for loansharking, extortion and racketeering. The pair of 55-year old goodfellas were arrested along with three other Western Massachusetts wiseguys in 2016 in the East Coast LCN Enterprise case that brought down more than 40 mob figures spread across four states. Valentini was convicted at trial. Daniele copped a plea in 2017. They are reputed members of an ad-hoc Springfield mafia crew headed by Albert (The Animal) Calvanese. The Springfield mob has always been a satellite wing of the Genovese crime family in New York. A convicted loanshark and mob enforcer himself, Calvanese took power in the crew in the early 2010s following his own prison stint and the decision of his predecessor Anthony (Bingy) Arillotta to become a witness for the government in its’ dismantling of the Genovese hierarchy. Calvanese, 61, can be found most days holding court at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society Social Club, the hub of mafia activity in the city of Springfield’s South End dating back decades. Arillotta admitted to arranging the gangland slaying of his mentor in the mob, Adolfo (Big Al) Bruno, outside the club in November 2003. Bruno’s driver that night, Frankie (The Shark) Depergola, was indicted alongside Daniele and Valentini in 2016. Depergola pleaded guilty in the case and is slated for release from prison in a little more than a year from now.
