Pining to spend his golden years with his grandkids, Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme, the former godfather of the New England Mafia, is planning to plead guilty to federal indictments accusing him of making false statements and obstruction of justice.
If Salemme, 74, follows through with his April 14 change of plea, which yesterday received U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns’ blessing to move forward, his defense team predicts he’ll be home by Christmas.
Attorney Steven Boozang said the onetime arch enemy of mobster James “Whitey” Bulger is looking forward to “riding off into the sunset.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Kelly and Fred Wyshak Jr. “made Frank an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Boozang quipped.
That offer is a sentence of five years, with credit for the four years Salemme has been locked up awaiting resolution of his case.
The 2004 indictments, for which Salemme faces 15 more years behind bars if he loses at trial, arose from the 1993 disappearance and presumed murder of Stephen DiSarro, 43, of Westwood, manager of the former South Boston rock club The Channel.
Boozang maintained yesterday Salemme “categorically denies” knowing anything about DiSarro’s whereabouts. Rather, if Salemme signs off on a plea agreement, he will only be admitting that information he provided investigators regarding a conversation he had about DiSarro with a reputed Rhode Island hood conflicts with what the hood told a grand jury.
Kelly said, “We’re finalizing the plea agreement” and “we anticipate (Salemme will) plead guilty.”
Kelly projected Salemme’s release date to be closer to “early 2009.”
Though he was not charged as such, the government believes Salemme not only helped whack DiSarro, but buried his body where it has never been found.
Stearns, meanwhile, has sealed medical records pertaining to Salemme that were discussed by prosecutors and defense attorneys behind closed doors yesterday.
Boozang dismissed rumors that Salemme has agreed to play ball because his health is failing. “He’s as healthy as a horse,” Boozang said. “I think there comes a time when it makes sense to move on.”
Salemme pleaded guilty in 1999 to racketeering and having a hand in eight mob hits. He was briefly released from prison in 2003 for his star testimony that led to the conviction of corrupt Boston FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr.
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