Howdy, Joey!

Merlino gets a new Kentucky home, a capo learns etiquette and bikers just can't get along.

by Brendan McGarvey

Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino is on the move. After beating a federal murder rap in Newark this spring, Skinny Joey has now been reclassified as less dangerous by the federal Bureau of Prisons and will be transferred to a lower-security prison opening in Kentucky in the next couple of weeks.

Merlino will be in the same state, but not prison, as John "Johnny Chang" Ciancaglini, who was also convicted of racketeering three years ago this month. Chang is in a federal penitentiary in an area of Appalachia that a friend of his describes as one of the poorest places in America.

"It's like visiting another planet," she says. "The people are so poor and the mountain towns are so depressing. Big black scars from surface coal mining make the mountains look ugly. There are people with no teeth in old, worn-out clothes. Lots of people there drink moonshine, and they think eating at Applebee's is fine dining."

For now, Merlino remains in a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas, where oft-deadly brawls between various Mexican, Colombian and other Latin American gangs erupt so frequently that prison guards fire into the exercise yard to scatter the battling inmates. A Merlino friend describes the Fed-Tex hellhole as the kind of place where prisoners cut the buttons off their shirts and trousers so they can get as close to the ground as possible when the bullets begin to flying.

Meanwhile, local mobsters are watching the City Hall corruption probe with more than a passing interest because two attorneys who represent Merlino — Eddie Jacobs and Chris Warren — are now counsel to Ronald White, the big-time lawyer and a major contributor to Mayor John Street.

A source close to the federal investigation claims the feds are preparing a racketeering case against Imam Shamsud-din Ali, a prominent Muslim cleric from West Philly and a Street ally. The feds, the source says, will indict Ali for allegedly shaking down black drug dealers who claim they paid him cash in exchange for the promise of protection in prison. Dealers cooperating with the feds claim Ali took their money, but when they eventually ended up in jail, the powerful Muslim prison gang he claimed would protect them did nothing to safeguard the dealers from rival predator gangs.

Rich Maneiri, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, did not confirm or deny the story.

Camera Rev-ey

It used to be that the Pagans and the Warlocks had an understanding. But when the Hells Angels roared into town, the Pagans prepared for battle, assuming that the Warlocks would either back them or back off. Well, now the Warlocks are angry with the Pagans, who just happen to be preparing for a street war with the Hells Angels.

As it stands, nobody is talking to anybody. For two years, rival biker gangs have held "coalition meetings" at neutral sites once every couple of months. Through these meetings, a temporary truce prevailed as bikers tried nonviolent means through which they could work out differences.

So much for good intentions.

The coalition meeting planned for earlier this summer was canceled at the last minute when the Pagans and Warlocks heard that reps of the new Hells Angels chapter would attend. They apparently didn't want to deal with the newest outlaws in town and said fuhgeddaboudit.

Everybody's since had time to cool off, so late last week the Pagans, Warlocks and Hells Angels decided to hold a coalition meeting at a neutral South Philly site.

But surprise, surprise. Upon arriving, some Pagans spotted a Fox TV crew hiding near the site, cameras in tow. Furious Pagans accused the Warlocks and the Hells Angels of trying to set them up for the TV cameras. The Warlocks and Angels denied it, but the meeting was canceled anyway.

Missed Manners

Mafia Rule No. 12: If you're going to punch someone, do not do it in front of a police officer, because you could end up taking anger-management classes like reputed Mafia captain Michael "Mikey Lance" Lancelotti.

Two weeks ago, Lancelotti was found guilty of simple assault and sentenced to counseling, fined $178 and placed on 12 months' probation.

The story begins with Lancelotti and two other men hanging out at Chickie's and Pete's in South Philly last February.

One of the trio begins to flirt with an attractive young woman at the bar. Attractive young woman's boyfriend takes offense. Someone hits attractive young woman's boyfriend in the head with a beer bottle. (Ouch!) The argument spills out into the parking lot. Police are summoned. Bloody-headed boyfriend is asked to identify the beer-bottle assailant. He can't, but does point out to police that Lancelotti is one of the three men who started the fight. Lancelotti takes exception to the boyfriend's pointing. (Well, it is rude to point.) Lancelotti punches the boyfriend — right in front of a cop. (Double ouch!) So, now Lance is learning to manage his anger. He also has plans to open a coffee shop in South Philly — here's hoping none of the customers point at the proprietor.