JOEY GETS A 'SKINNY' SENTENCE
Judge fumes as Mafioso takes 2-yr. plea deal
Reputed wiseguy Joey “Skinny Joey” Merlino pleaded guilty to illegal gambling Friday as part of a cushy plea deal that made everybody happy — except the judge.
Merlino, the reputed head of the Philadelphia mob, had gone on trial in January for alleged illegal gambling, loan-sharking, health-care fraud and racketeering. But the case was dismissed thanks to a deadlocked jury.
So rather than retry him, the feds agreed to let him plead to a single count of illegal gambling — despite claims that he was a key player in a new “East Coast” mob that spread from Florida to Boston.
While a charge like racketeering has a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars, illegal gambling carries a maximum of just 2 years.
Manhattan federal Judge Richard Sullivan appeared furious with the notion that Merlino could escape with such a short stint.
“We asked the jury to deliberate for days, after sitting through a trial that lasted weeks, in a case that was prepared for a year,” he seethed.
“In my experience, prosecutors will try [a case like this] again. What makes this case exceptional?
“Sheldon Silver is going on next week,’’ the judge said, referring to the corruption retrial of the exstate political powerhouse, which starts Monday. “They should have called that one off, too?”
Under the feds’ deal with Merlino, prosecutors agreed to drop three of the four counts against him and said they would recommend a sentence of 10 to 16 months’ prison.
Sullivan said there is not much he can do about the decision to drop the more serious charges — but he noted he can toss the government’s sentencing recommendation out the window if he wants.
“Ultimately, it’s my call and only my call,” the judge said, although he would not be permitted to go above the statutory maximum of 2 years.
Prosecutor Max Nicholas said the government believed the deal was “an appropriate result” of the mistrial.
Merlino, 56, will be sentenced Sept. 13. He declined to comment on the judge’s remarks, saying his lawyers told him to keep quiet.
But on his way out of court, he gave a shout-out to rapper Meek Mill, a fellow Philadelphian, who was sprung Tuesday after being held on charges of violating terms of his probation.
“I’m glad he’s home with his family,” Merlino said, adding that he’s been texting with Meek — and that their hometown Philadelphia 76ers, currently slogging through the NBA playoffs, “will win the championship!”