5 More Co-Defendants of Gotti Plead Guilty

Five men, including one alleged to be a trusted aide to imprisoned Mafia don John J. Gotti, agreed to plea bargains that will keep them from going on trial with Gotti’s son.

John “Jackie the Nose” D’Amico, 62, admitted running a Connecticut-based illegal gambling business. In exchange, prosecutors said they would not object to any sentence of at least 21 months in prison. He could have received up to 20 years if convicted of racketeering charges that included loan-sharking and extortion.

He allegedly helped run the crime family--with John A. “Junior” Gotti--since the elder Gotti was imprisoned in 1992.

The others who pleaded guilty last week were Gregory DePalma, 66; his son, Craig DePalma, 32; Louis “Louie Bracciole” Ricco, 69; and “Little Mario” Antonicelli, 68. They admitted a variety of racketeering charges.

None of them were required to testify against Gotti Jr., but the elder DePalma is likely to be a star of the case anyway: on telephone recordings made by federal agents.

The pleas dropped the number of Gotti’s co-defendants to six, down from 23 when he was indicted a year ago.

More guilty pleas are expected before the trial, which is expected to begin in March or April.

“We won’t mind sitting alone at this trial, if it comes to that,” said Sarita Kedia, a Gotti lawyer. “That way, we won’t be clouded by any proof offered against any other defendant.”