By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
Anthony St. Laurent Sr. gave a hired hitman some simple instructions before rubbing out rival New England mobster Robert DeLuca: “Shoot him in the f–ing head…Say ‘This is from the Saint.”
Unfortunately for St. Laurent, a “made man” in the Patriarca crime family, the hitman was actually an undercover police officer, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I.
St. Laurent, 67, already serving time in prison for extortion, now faces a charge of solicitation to commit murder for hire, according to the Justice Department.
St. Laurent spoke Monday by video conference to U.S. District Magistrate Judge Lincoln Almond in Providence, who assigned him a court appointed attorney, according to the Providence Journal.
U.S. Atty. Clark Corrente of Providence said the charges were part of ongoing effort to crackdown on organized crime.
“Federal, state and local law enforcement throughout New England are ramping up the campaign against organized crime,” he said in a statement.
In 2006, according to a court affidavit, St. Laurent allegedly offered two people $20,000 to kill DeLuca. However, authorities said, the duo declined and expressed concern that DeLuca was a “made” member of the Mob and killing him might result in retribution.
In 2007, St. Laurent went off to prison to serve a 56-month sentence for extortion, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Behind bars, according to the government affidavit, he told a fellow inmate to pass on his wishes about killing DeLuca to a visitor – a cop, who was posing as a hitman.
St. Laurent is currently at the Federal Medical Facility in Fort Devens, Mass.
New England Mobster to Hitman: “Shoot Him in the F—ing Head…Say ‘This is From the Saint’
