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Attorney: Gotti Likely To Be Moved To Tampa Soon

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By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

TAMPA - Despite efforts to keep John "Junior" Gotti in New York until his trial, the son of the deceased head of the Gambino crime family likely will be in Tampa by late next week or the beginning of the subsequent week for a court appearance, said his attorney, Charles Carnesi.

Gotti was indicted in Tampa on Tuesday on federal charges of participating in organized crime killings in New York from 1988 through 1991 and trafficking in 5 kilos of cocaine. He is being held without bail at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. His request for bail was denied by a federal magistrate at an extradition hearing Tuesday, Carnesi said.

Gotti is one of six men – including Tampa resident James Cadicamo – charged with participating in a vast racketeering conspiracy under the umbrella of New York's Gambino crime family.

Carnesi is hoping to work out a deal to keep the son of the Dapper Don in the Big Apple.

"I think that we are going to try and suggest that rather than coming down here, we arrange a videotape arraignment," Carnesi said. "If he has to be incarcerated, I would like him to be incarcerated up here so we have access to him."

Carnesi said that with modern technology, there is no need to bring Gotti to Tampa before a trial.

"In this age, we can do it by satellite," he said. "If he is transferred immediately to Tampa, it serves no purpose."

Despite Carnesi's wishes, Gotti most likely will be heading south, said U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill, who said that ultimately it will be up to trial judge, Steven D. Merryday.

Because bail was denied and Gotti remains incarcerated, "the U.S. Marshals Service will transport him to the Middle District for his court appearances, absent some extraordinary circumstances that the government is not aware of at this time," O'Neill said.

Judicial rules prohibit Merryday from commenting.

Gotti is the son of Gambino crime family boss John J. Gotti, who died in jail in 2002.

Editor Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629 or haltman@tampatrib.com.

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