“It’s the stupidest thing he could have done: he was already out of prison,” Mr. Capeci said, referring to Mr. Taddeo who lived in the shelter. “Either something is wrong upstairs, or something bad has happened to him.” Escaping from a shelter can lead to significant additional prison terms or fines.
Court documents show that Mr Taddeo was expected to be released from prison in February. His latest attempt to leave was of a much more legal nature: at the end of 2020, Mr Taddeo had filed for sympathetic release over concerns about contracting Covid.
However, that request was denied by a federal judge, Frank P. Geraci Jr., whose decision outlined the runaway hitman’s past crimes, noting convictions for assault, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and, appropriately by his illegal occupation, “possession of machine guns.”
According to federal officials, Mr. Taddeo began his criminal career in the mid-1970s, at the age of 16. But it was his activities in the 1980s on behalf of the mob in Rochester, NY that brought real disgrace to Mr. Taddeo, including the murders of three men – Nicholas Mastrodonato, Gerald Pelusio and Dino Tortatice – in 1982 and 1983.
It wasn’t until 1992 that he admitted to these crimes, according to The Buffalo News, which said all three victims were “allegedly rebellious mafia members.” Intriguingly, Mr. Taddeo also attempted the murder of a mob leader in Rochester, Thomas Marotta, who tried and failed him twice – yes, twice – by shooting him. Those murders and attempts resulted in extortionate convictions and long prison terms.
