Bail Denied for Man Accused in Mob-Style Murder Attempt

A man accused of arranging a mob-style murder contract on an ex-Marine as a favor for a Tustin businessman was denied bail Wednesday in federal court.

Richard Marion Dota, 55, of Las Vegas sought to be released on $250,000 bail, but U.S. Magistrate Ronald W. Rose refused the request, saying the defendant had an extensive criminal record and was a flight risk, as well as a danger to public.

Dota, described by federal authorities as a mobster with ties to the Genovese crime family, has been charged with the attempted murder of Wilbur Constable, 25, of Mission Viejo.

Federal authorities contend that Dota agreed to arrange the murder for Tustin businessman Julius Frederick Schill, 57. Authorities alleged that Schill wanted Constable dead so he could pursue a relationship with Constable’s fiancee. The fiancee was Schill’s secretary.

According to law enforcement officials, Schill paid Dota $42,000 to set up the murder contract. Dota, officials alleged, then hired three “hit men” who beat Constable with baseball bats and then shot him in the back of the head last October.

Constable survived the attack.

Dota and Schill, who were both indicted on the attempted murder charge earlier this month, are scheduled to stand trial March 10.

The three men who allegedly attacked Constable are being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $1-million bail each. They are Blake Tek Yoon, 27, of San Rafael, Calif.; John Caravaggio, 28, of Morristown, N. J.; and Scott Douglas Smith, 23, of Denville, N. J. They are scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Feb. 10.