Sicilian mobsters guilty in Canadian Mafia deaths

After dramatic evidence from a killer who turned his back on the Mafia’s code of silence, two mobsters in Sicily were sentenced to life in prison for killing two gangsters from Canada, one of whom holds a mythic place in the underworld as such a dangerous man he made even hardened criminals quake.

Juan Ramon Fernandez, 56, had been deported from Canada for his mob antics when he was cut down in a fusillade of bullets in 2013. Dying beside him in the ambush was Fernando Pimentel, 36, of Mississauga, Ont., who was visiting Italy to help his boss.

On Tuesday, after a lengthy stop- and- start trial, two brothers — who had also once lived in Canada — were found guilty of double murder, although Pietro Scaduto, 51, and Salvatore Scaduto, 54, deny their involvement.

The third gunman who shot Fernandez and Pimentel on April 9, 2013, became a co- operating witness and gave hours of detailed testimony in court. Giuseppe Carbone, 47, who, like the others, previously lived in Canada, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

“Why were they killed, these two?” Fabio Marino, chairman of the Court of Assizes in Palermo, asked Carbone earlier at trial.

“There was a Mafia war in Canada,” Carbone answered.

The backdrop was the rebellion against Vito Rizzuto’s control of the Mafia in Mont- real after Rizzuto was extradited to the United States in 2006 for three gangland murders. The rebellion was led by Raynald Desjardins, Carbone told court.

“He was t he one who had the ongoing war with Rizzuto,” he said.

Fernandez had torn loyalties. He was close to both Rizzuto and Desjardins and owed much to each of them.

Desjardins first brought Fernandez i nto a higher echelon of crime but it was Rizzuto who gave him his true power. Fernandez insisted that Rizzuto even inducted him as a “made man” of the Mafia — despite him being Spanish not Italian.

Fernandez’s sin was his failure to choose a side: He was “like a priest who visits all the churches,” Carbone said he was told.

The order to kill came from Canada, although he did not receive it directly because he is not a Mafia member, Carbone said.

“Rizzuto didn’t call me to do the murders, Raynald Desjardins didn’t call me to do the murders; they called them ( his co- accused). So they know who they were dealing with, I do not. I was an outsider.”

Carbone and the Scadutos plotted the murder of a man known for his physical strength and determination. Carbone stole the key to his cousin’s workshop in an outof- the- way lane with a lockable gate.

Pietro Scaduto convinced him to come with the promise of a great deal on a load of marijuana. Fernandez loved a good deal.

“So it was a very easy lure,” Carbone said.

Salvatore Scaduto was hiding in a dog’s kennel inside the yard. Carbone was in the workshop. Pietro was to unlock and open the gate for Fernandez when he arrived. He had a gun hidden by the gatepost he was to pick up when closing the gate.

Pimentel drove Fernandez to the meeting. As their car pulled in, Salvatore burst out, before his brother could lock the gate, making for a frantic ambush. Pimentel opened the car door to flee but was met by gunfire. Fernandez reached over and tried to drive away.

“Rei was driving like a madman,” Carbone said, referring to Fernandez by his nickname. The gunmen rushed the car, firing.

“I turn and see Rei on the floor, arms wide,” Carbone said. Fernandez looked up and said, “Sal, you too,” Carbone testified, “almost in disbelief.” Pietro then shot him in the head.

The bodies were driven to an illegal dump. Pietro grabbed the victims by their arms and Carbone by their legs as they hoisted them into shallow graves and set them ablaze.

He still has nightmares about it, Carbone said.

Carbone slipped the expensive watch off Fernandez’s wrist. It had been a gift to him from Rizzuto. He was caught trying to sell it, leading to his arrest when he agreed to help police.