LABORERS (LIUNA)
Niagara Local Rocked by Racketeering & Extortion Indictments
At dawn on May 17, federal agents arrested 14 men associated with Laborers'
Int'l Union of N. Am. Local 91 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Michael
"Butch" Quarcini, Local 91's business manager and long considered one of
the most powerful people in Niagara County labor circles, was among those
arrested. Charges were filed by U.S. Atty. Michael A. Battle accusing
Local 91 bosses of racketeering and "goon squad" tactics to intimidate
contractors, workers, and developers. "These charges should have a positive
effect on the way business is conducted in Niagara County, starting today,"
said FBI agent Peter J. Ahearn. "I hope we can put an end to intimidation
tactics that have suppressed development in Niagara County."
In Aug. 2000, the Buffalo News reported that several the feds were probing labor racketeering at Local 91. It focused on extortion, beatings, and stomping attacks at work sites, a bombing at the home of a worker who had a dispute with Local 91, and a $100,000 vandalism incident. Court papers cite numerous alleged instances of Local 91 president Mark Congi and other bosses making threats against nonunion workers and employers. For instance, vice president Salvatore Bertino allegedly told a contractor: "I'm not from this country. We know how to take care of people like you. The fun doesn't begin until the feds leave."
Amid concern about possible reprisals, none of the witnesses or victims, even the firms they worked for, were mentioned in the 43-page indictment. The suspects were described as "the goon squad, strong arms and thugs." All pled not guilty in appearances before U.S. Magis. Judge Leslie G. Foschio (W.D.N.Y.). All were released without bail, except for Congi, Bertino, and Andrew Shomers, a Local 91 steward. They have been jailed since the indictments pending a May 22 hearing.
Among the allegations made against Local 91 officials: 1) Using two explosive devices to bomb the home of an asbestos worker in Apr. 1997. The bombing took place on the same day that Local 91 steward Paul Bellreng allegedly told the worker, "I'm going to take your head off tonight." Police said the worker suffered permanent damage to his hearing. Reportedly, Bellreng is on the board of directors of the Niagara County Indus. Development Agency.
2) Committing extortion against "Company 2," which was involved in the same asbestos removal project, by threatening a project manager and following workers to their homes. Bellreng is accused of making threats to kill employees of the company "and their families." Congi and four other defendants are accused of threatening to "rape" family members of Company 2 employees, including juveniles. 3) Manufacturing sharpened "welded metal stars" and tossing them under cars and trucks to cause damage at construction sites. 4) Committing extortion against a contractor in a Lockport, N.Y., construction project, "Company 1," by threatening and following company officials, and in one case showing up at the company owner's home.
5) Beating up a truck driver at a Clarion Hotel construction project in Niagara Falls and damaging the driver's vehicle, in Apr. 1998, and threatening and intimidating contractors at the project. 6) Attacking, beating, punching and kicking four employees of a construction firm at a Wegmans store construction site on in Sept. 1998. Congi is accused of taking part in the attack after becoming upset that workers in another union were sweeping floors at the site.
7) Causing an explosion at an undisclosed construction site in Feb. 2000, shortly after Shomers had been fired from a job there. 8) Shomers is also accused of breaking a broomstick and using it to stab a worker at the Niagara Falls High School work site in Mar. 1999. Minutes later, Shomers allegedly attacked the same worker again. 9) Threatening contractors and puncturing the tires of a vehicle at the High School project in June 2000. 10) Threatening and extorting contractors at a Niagara Falls Air Base project in May 2001, and a Lewiston-Porter Middle School project in July and Aug. 2001.
Charged with racketeering and extortion are Quarcini, Congi, Bertino, Bellreng, Shomers; assistant business manager Albert Celeste, steward Salvatore Spatorico, steward Andrew Tomascik, Jr., steward Brian Perry, and ex-president Dominick Dellaccio. Four laborers were charged with lesser counts: Anthony Cerrone and Steven Markle were charged with extortion; Mark Lostracco and James McKeown were charged with illegal destruction of a motor vehicle. Quarcini, who made $244,677 in union salaries and expenses in 2001, pushed away a television camera as he got into his jet-black Lincoln after the court proceedings.
The indictments were greeted with enthusiasm by Niagara County Dist. Atty. Matthew J. Murphy III and Niagara County Sheriff Thomas A. Beilein. "This is huge for Niagara County," Murphy said. "For 30 years, this corrupt union has held a stranglehold on Niagara County, its construction contracts and its economic development." Beilein added, "These indictments are very timely, with the big casino project coming up," Beilein said. "Without these indictments, I'm sure Local 91 would have been putting the arm on anyone trying to develop the casino project."
"It's a throwback to the Stone Age of operating labor unions," Ahearn added. "I've heard business people describe Local 91 as a throwback to the days of the 1940s, with Jimmy Hoffa. We hope all that will end with these arrests." Ahearn also said that top bosses drove around in Lincoln Continentals, bought at union expense, and "intimidated their own workers."
In response to the sweeping indictments, the doors of Local 91 were padlocked on May 20 as LIUNA took steps to impose an "emergency trusteeship." LIUNA president Terence M. O'Sullivan dispatched LIUNA vice president Vincent Masinos to Niagara Falls to run the local "In light of the grand jury's action, we need to be sure that the affairs of Local 91 are being conducted properly," O'Sullivan said. "All the local's incumbent officers are being removed from their positions."
LIUNA's actions enraged Quarcini's attorney, Paul J. Cambria, Jr. He lashed out at the international, prosecutors, and the Buffalo News, whose coverage of the indictments he described as "unfair and one-sided." "The international should be ashamed of itself," Cambria said. "Since when do you not stick up for your own people? There has been no proof of any of these allegations. These are allegations made by contractors, members of other unions and people with more axes to grind against Local 91." [Buffalo News 5/17, 5/18, 5/21/02; N.Y. Times 5/18/02]
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