"Cadillac Frank" Salemme, ex-mob boss, arrested in murder of witness
BOSTON -- Federal prosecutors say former New England Mafia boss Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme has been arrested in the murder of a witness.
Prosecutors didn't immediately release details on Salemme's arrest Wednesday. He is expected to make an initial appearance Wednesday in Boston federal court.
Salemme's attorney declined to comment.
Another former high-ranking member of the New England mob was charged in June with lying to federal officials about the 1993 killing of Boston nightclub owner Steven DiSarro.
Robert DeLuca's indictment says he arranged with Salemme to have DiSarro's body buried in Rhode Island.
Court records say Salemme is charged with murder of a witness on May 10, 1993, but do not identify the victim, reports the Boston Globe. That is reportedly the same date another mob associate said DiSarro was murdered in a home in Sharon, Massachusetts.
DiSarro's remains were discovered this year in Providence.
Salemme was indicted in 2004 for lying about DiSarro's killing while negotiating a plea deal in 1999. He denied another mobster's claim that they watched as Salemme's son strangled DiSarro and that Salemme helped dispose of his body.
Salemme's son, who was a member of the mob and an assistant manager at DiSarro's club, died in 1995.
The elder Salemme entered the witness protection program while cooperating with the prosecution of famed Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, the paper reports.
Salemme, who is now in his 80s, is expected to appear in U.S. District Court on Wednesday afternoon.
His attorney, Steve Boozang, said he did not have details on the specific allegations against Salemme or where he was arrested.
"We'll vigorously fight these charges," Boozang said. "Knowing he's a fighter, he'll be very involved in his defense."