12-16-2003 -- Daidone and Mathes -- Sentencing -- News Release

La Cosa Nostra Associate and Former Camden City Council President Sentenced to Federal Prison Terms

CAMDEN - Philadelphia organized crime family associate Daniel M. Daidone and former Camden City Council President James R. Mathes, Jr. were sentenced to federal prison terms today in connection with the influencing of corrupt Camden City officials, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, who presided over the seven-week trial, ordered Daidone, 60, of Ventnor City, to serve 33 months in prison and to pay $8,000 in fines. Mathes, 65, of Camden, was order to serve 27 months in prison and to pay $3,000 in fines. Judge Rodriguez also ordered both defendants to serve three years of supervised release upon the completion of their prison terms. Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all of that time, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary A. Futcher.

Judge Rodriguez scheduled both men to surrender to correction officials on Feb. 16, 2004.

On July 8, 2003, after three hours of deliberations, a jury convicted Daidone and Mathes each of one count of conspiracy to defraud the public of honest services, two counts of using wire communications to defraud the public of honest services, and one count of conspiracy to travel and use interstate facilities to solicit and accept benefits from the Philadelphia LCN Family to influence a public servant.

During the trial, jurors heard more than 200 secretly recorded tapes of conversations in which, among other things, former-Boss Ralph Natale of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra organized crime family (LCN) discussed with LCN family associate Daidone, a conspiracy to corrupt Camden City officials in order to gain city contracts.

During the trial, Natale testified that he was the boss of the Philadelphia LCN from1994 to 1998, and that he had Daidone make payments to Mathes and former Camden City Mayor Milton Milan. Natale testified that he arranged for a Philadelphia jeweler to provide Mathes with a diamond ring for his girlfriend. Natale also testified that approximately two months after Milton Milan became president of Camden City Council, Natale, through Daidone, made his first payment to Milan. Natale testified that his payments, always carried by Daidone, continued until Natale's parole was revoked in June 1998.

Under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Judge Rodriguez determined the actual sentence based upon a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offense and the defendant's criminal history, if any.

Christie credited Special Agents of the FBI in Philadelphia, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Lampinski; and Investigators from the Camden County Prosecutors's Office, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and the Philadelphia Police Department with developing the investigation.

The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Futcher and Jacqueline Carle of the U.S. Attorney's Criminal Division.

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Defense Attorney: Harold Shapiro, Esq. Vineland

Wayne Powell, Esq. Cherry Hill