Talk:Winter Hill Gang

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Untitled[edit]

While Winter Hill is a neighborhood in Somerville, and the gang was active in Somerville, supposedly the name of the gang comes from two of its founders, Howie Winter and ?? Hill.

The gang was named after the neighborhood. The gang member named Winter is purely a coincidence. I don't know what "Hill" you are talking about. My uncle married the daughter of a member of the Winter Hill gang. The neighborhood has existed since before the Revolution and as such is quite old I learned all this when I did my aunt's genealogy for her. As for when the "gang" was founded, her family has been living in Somerville since 1734, is Irish and the earliest report on the illegal activities of her family in Boston was an account of a house of ill repute managed by one of her ancestors in 1767 in Boston long before the potato famine Irish came to Boston. The only reason I have not included any of this in the main article is because it is original research and I promised my aunt not to publish any of it until her and the last of her siblings are gone. My uncle is in his 80's and she is in her seventies. Her youngest sister is 62 and in good health so that won't be happening for a long time. Don't take my word for the Somerville history though, go look it up and I don't mean on Wikipedia. Go to the Boston Public Library where much of my research was conducted. It has excellent resources. . — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.190.53.6 (talk) 03:18, 27 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Link to incorrect Joe Macdonald and a bunch of other people.[edit]

Linked article does not appear to be about the right person

No it isn't, that Joe MacDonald was Congressman. and neither is James O'Tool, who was another Congressman, or James Simms, who was an instrument maker or John McGrath, who could have been a playwright or two different football players or a Judge in the supreme court of New Zealand. Or (sigh) George Kaufman, who was a playwright.

Red Shea[edit]

it says nothing about John "Red" Shea

Citing Sources[edit]

This article cites no sources whatsoever, nor is there any credible source which can verify the information contained within. Sections with lists of names should be considered for deletion. Bentobias 20:08, 26 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Mullen Gang[edit]

If anyone has any info on the Mullen, please make a page for it or message me, thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Sbfenian1916 (talk • contribs) 22:30, 7 March 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Article The Winter Hill Gang redirected here - contents of that article[edit]

I discovered a newer article called "The Winter Hill Gang" which contained some good info. I redirected it here and have preserved everything from that article on its Talk page - and below, here, for possible future use. Some of it is encyclopedic and useful to this article. Some of it is not. --AStanhope 03:43, 19 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

From The Winter Hill Gang:

The Winter Hill Gang is somewhat of an Irish Mafia based primarily out of Somerville, South Boston and Charlestown, Massachusetts. In its history there has been five bosses, with the first being James "Buddy" McLean and the latest and current reigning boss being George "Georgie Boy" Hogan. The gang's primary rackets include extortion of legitimate bussinesses, although this racket is in constant decline and used less and less often, extortion of bookmakers, drug dealers, gambling dens and shylocks, gambling, bookmaking, loansharking, arms trafficking, money laundering and narcotics trafficking, they are also known for their violent and high-numbered murders. Unlike The Westies, New York's Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob, the Winter Hill Gang is much more organized, were The Westies only have a Boss, the Boss's right hand man, the top enforcer some what of an "Underboss" and then members and associates, the Winter Hill Gang has the Boss and his right hand man, although he has no special rank he is usually the man who takes over if the boss dies, goes to prison or is murdered, so he is somewhat of an Underboss, Lieutenants, like Caporegimes in the Italian Mafia, somewhat of a buffer zone, members and associates.

The McLean Years (1955-1966)[edit]

James "Buddy" McLean ran the Winter Hill Gang from the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, where he and most original members were from, 1955 up until his murder during the bloody Irish Gang Wars in 1966. For the first seven years(up until 1962) McLean's reign was primarily peaceful with little or no police scrutiny towards the gang, during McLean's reign a young up and coming mobster by the name of James "Whitey" Bulger was sent to federal prison for a bank robbery. In 1966, two to three years after the break out of the Irish Gang Wars, Buddy McLean's reign had ended when he was shot down by McLaughlin Gang gunman. McLean's death was avenged ten years later on September 10,1976 when his nephew and namesake, James Cameron Mclean, gunned down triggerman Phil Thomas in Baltimore, Maryland while Thomas was holding his ten month old baby. The bodies were thrown down a trash chute. The younger McLean was convicted and sentenced to two life terms imprisonment. However, these convictions were overturned on appeal and at a subsequent trial, McLean was acquitted.

The Winter Years (1965-1979)[edit]

The second boss of the Winter Hill Gang had a fourteen year run his name was, Howard "Howie" Winter, he got the Winter Hill Gang involved in a very lucrative horse race fixing scheme that netted them millions from extorting the jockeys and placing bets with Mafia-connected bookies on the long shots, knowing they would win, they raked in the money. That would all crumble in 1979 when the F.B.I. Indicted Winter and other top ranking members of the Winter Hill Gang. During Winter's reign the peace did not begin until 1973 or 1974 when the Irish Gang Wars were officially ended. At the end of the Irish Gang Wars the Winter Hill Gang came out on top and became the dominant Irish Mob in Massachusetts and no longer stayed confided just to Somerville and South Boston, they also began to move out in Roxbury, Worcester, Charlestown and other surrounding neighborhoods.

The Bulger Years (1979-1995)[edit]

The third and most infamous boss of the Winter Hill Gang had a sixteen year run his name was, James "Whitey" Bulger. Under Bulger the Winter Hill Gang would find national acclaim and become more powerful than the New England Mafia faction in Boston. One reason for this was Bulger and his top man and Lieutenant, Stephen "Stevie the Rifleman" Flemmi had a secret deal with F.B.I. Agent John Connolly that they would provide information on the Boston LCN and every now and then give a very small bust of some Winter Hill Gang guys that were nobodies to the F.B.I. in order for the F.B.I. to leave them alone. Bulger would wind up murdering, help murder, or order the murders of 19 people that we know of. Bulger's party began to end in 1990 when Connolly retired from the F.B.I. after Bulger did the rat job for eleven years, he would have five more years at the top. In 1992 things began to heat up when one of Bulger's young proteges, John "Red" Shea was indicted along with his entire drug crew, in 1994 Shea was sentenced to twelve years in prison and was released on August 2, 2002. In January of 1995, Stevie Flemmi was picked up for a Class E Felony on a Friday night around eleven p.m., the detectives knew that the indictment would be unsealed Monday and since Flemmi was arrested on Friday, he would be held until Monday. Monday came and Flemmi, John Martorano, Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme, Francis "Little Frankie" Salemme, Jr. and James "Whitey" Bulger were all indicted for racketeering. The Salemme's went on the run and were not captured until 1998, Whitey was already on the run and until the date of this article, January 11, 2007, he has still not been caught.

The Weeks Years (1995-2000)[edit]

The fourth boss of the Winter Hill Gang had a short and brief five year reign at the top, his name was Kevin "Two" Weeks, who was one of Whitey's two proteges and Whitey's surrogate son. During Weeks' reign there was nothing but surprises, the gang was much smaller due to the large R.I.C.O. Indictment of Lieutenant John "Red" Shea in 1992 and his drug crew, as well as Bulger being on the run, Martorano and Flemmi awaiting trial. In 1997 Weeks was given the biggest surprise of his life when Stevie Flemmi admitted to the grand jury that he and Whitey Bulger had been top secret F.B.I. Informants, Bulger since 1975 and Flemmi since 1965. Weeks had a bull's eye painted on his back now. In December of 1999 Weeks, his top Lieutenant on Money Laundering Chief Kevin "Turtleneck Pants" O'Neil and other members and associates of the gang were indicted, in early January of 2000, Weeks began cooperating, but his deal was to only cooperate against John Connolly, the corrupt F.B.I. Agent, Stevie Flemmi and lead the F.B.I. to three murder victims that he knew were there and he would try to locate a few others. In the end Weeks testified against Flemmi, against Connolly and also led the F.B.I. to five of Whitey's murder victims. He was sentenced to three and a half to five years, plus time served(which was already about a year) in November of 2001 and was released in March of 2005.

The Hogan Years (2000-present)[edit]

The fifth and currently final boss of the Winter Hill Gang is in his seventh year at the top his name is George "Georgie Boy" Hogan. He was a top member of John "Red" Shea's drug crew, and was indicted along with Shea, but, due to the fact that it was his first offense and he spent four months in federal lock up before he was given bail, Hogan copped a plea deal and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was given time served, six months in home confinement and five years probation. After this he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant by Whitey Bulger and began to run Shea's drug crew. In early 2000, he became the Winter Hill Gang's new boss.

Bosses[edit]

1. James McLean

  • Years - 1955-1965
  • Aliases - Buddy
  • What Ended His Reign - Murdered, 1965

2. Howard Winter

  • Years - 1965-1979
  • Aliases - Howie, Old Man Winter
  • What Ended His Reign - Imprisoned, 1979/Released(1989)...Imprisoned(1993)/Released(2002)

3. James Bulger

  • Years - 1979-1995
  • Aliases - Whitey, Jimmy Blue Eyes
  • What Ended His Reign - Indicted, Went into Hiding

4. Kevin Weeks

  • Years - 1995-2000
  • Aliases - Kevin Squeaks, Two Weeks
  • What Ended His Reign - Indicted, Defected

5. George Hogan

  • Years - 2000-Present
  • Aliases - Georgie Boy
  • What Ended His Reign - Nothing

Lieutenants[edit]

Well Known Members and Associates[edit]

  • John "Johnny" Martorano - An Associate of Italian Descent who was Imprisoned, he was released in 1998
  • Edward "Eddie Mac" MacKenzie, Jr. - A member of the John "Red" Shea drug crew who after the indictment copped a deal to inform on a Colombian Drug Trafficker in exchange for a lighter sentence, but would not inform on any members of the gang or anyone from Southie.

Modern Day Winter Hill Gang[edit]

  • Boss - George "Georgie Boy" Hogan, 54
  • Underboss - Richard Demas, 36
  • Lieutenant - William "Billy Boy" Hogan, 52
  • Lieutenant - Kevin "Turtleneck Pants" O'Neil, 66
  • Member -Robert " Bobby Quarters" Nee, 57
  • Member - William "Billy" Bair, 47
  • Member - Patrick "Dizzy" Coarke
  • Member - James "Jimmy Pez" Flynn
  • Member - Fredrick R. Finnerty, 40
  • Member - Bobby "Spike" Watson, 43
  • Member - Joseph "Smokin Joe" Pano, ?
  • Member - Michael "Mikey" Hogan, son of Billy Hogan
  • Member - Michael "White Mike" McArdle
  • Member - Scott McDermott, 32, Under Indictment
  • Member - Gregory McLaughlin, 58, Under Indictment
  • Member - Patrick McLaugh, 52
  • Member - Jeff "Sidearm Lenny" Lindberg, 38
  • Member - Michael Iovella, 57
  • Member - Michael "Captain" Rocke
  • Member - Thomas Ryan, 74, Under Indictment
  • Member - James H. Turpin, 44, Imprisoned
  • Member - Richard "Richie Rich" Turpin
  • Member - Ralph Valencourt, 49
  • Member - Sean "Ruben Redeye" Burns, 33, Under Indictment
  • Associate - Dennis Albertelli, 52
  • Associate - Tommmy "Two Guns" Attardo, 36
  • Associate - Randy Albertelli, 26
  • Associate - Carl "Quick Carl" DiNatale, 48
  • Associate - Anthony "Sonny" Daniels, 53
  • Associate - Deeb Homsi, 44
  • Associate - Frank Iacaboni, 60
  • Associate - Salvatore "Lefty" Ramasci
  • Associate - Eneyda "Harry" Rodriguez
  • Associate - Joseph "Joey Y" Yerardi, Under Indictment
  • Associate - Gordon "Gordie" Deyoung, 49, jailed 1996, Retired
  • Associate - Yanik Kawzek, 55
  • Associate - Glen "the Beacon Hill Jew" Davis
  • Associate - Brian Nagle, 31
  • Associate - Arthur "Artie" Buomos
  • Associate - Mike "Mikey Hobo" O'Shea, 25 Under Indictment for Devil Dog Heist

External links[edit]

Gang members[edit]

Various ip's have been adding people to this list that don't exist or are not really members of the gang. This activity goes back months, as such it is hard to tell what is now valid and what is not. I propose that anyone on the list that does not already have a valid wiki article be deleted. Vrac 03:56, 24 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I hope to God that the FBI is tracking down all these IP's : a lot of the South Boston Mob articles are being edited by the players themselves, or their family members - as evinced by the atrocious language & grammar of these entries. I bet some of these will lead back to federal penitentiaries where those indicted are serving time.T00kentree (talk) 15:22, 11 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Clean up[edit]

I have cleaned this article up to bring it in line with Wikipedia:Manual of Style, including:

  • remove repeated links and links to plain English words per WP:CONTEXT
  • reduce length of links to actual article title by eliminating abuse of link piping
  • remove links to date per MOS:SYL
  • removed links to acronyms

Ground Zero | t 11:31, 3 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Allies[edit]

What the hell is with the Allies list???

FBI Most wanted[edit]

I removed the part about Whitey Bulger being fourth on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. The list is not ranked. m12 (talk) 02:34, 24 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sources[edit]

The source that is sited for the most part of this article is the book "The Brothers Bulger: How They Terrorized and Corrupted Boston for a Quarter Century" by talk radio Howie Carr. Most of the allies were drawn from this text, and were targets of Mr. Carr who is a conservative talk show host. In particular former State Senate President William Bulger, who Carr targets because of his liberal views and membership in the Democratic Party. Mr. Carr has made a career of attacking liberals and Democrats in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this article draws heavily from a biased source, Mr. Carr. Why he is so biased? I can't say, one might theorize his years of failing to bring down Mr. William Bulger are likely the cause, but for anyone who reads the book the tainted and stilted views of Mr. Carr are immediately obvious. This article should be removed in its entirity. While the Winter Hill Gang did exist, this article has been so stilted by the views of one critic, right wing talk show host Howie Carr. Biased, stilted, and falsified; no other words can be used to describe Mr. Carr's novel, because it is just that, a work of fiction by an angry man who is a ultraconservative in a liberal state, and would say, do, or write anything to smear liberals elected to state government. Mr. William Bulger may or may not have been corrupt, but the only fact in Mr. Carr's book is that William Bulger is indeed the brother of James "Whitey" Bulger, and unless I'm much mistaken that isn't proof of any crime or guilt on Mr. William Bulger's part. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.67.148.120 (talk) 04:23, 21 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I have a feeling that if the Unsigned IP of these comments is tracked down, it will probably turn out to be Senator Bulger's office ! It is fascinating that both of James "Whitey" Bulger's brothers admitted after his arrest that they had been in regular telephonic contact with him during all the years of his hiding. Mitt Romney, then-Governor of Massachussets, made Bulger resign from Chancellorship of the State University after these revelations.T00kentree (talk) 15:17, 11 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Frank Salemmi[edit]

He is probably Frank Salemme [[1]]JohnASantos (talk) 03:40, 13 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Evidence of gang still active?[edit]

Hi, could anyone provide me with some evidence regarding the gang activity as the WHG apparently have 40-50 members and are still active?

ThePlane11 (talk) 03:17, 6 April 2018 (UTC)[reply]

@ThePlane11: I just posted the same in a redirect's talk page- granted you could have copycats and people calling themselves the "Winter Hill Gang", but for all intents and purposes, I don't see anything to suggest they're still active. Boston certainly has organized crime, certainly Irish organized crime in the same locales as WH, but I'm not seeing even rumors about the purported current leader "Georgie Boy" Hogan after 2012. Maybe there's an FBI source that can confirm this? --Simtropolitan (talk) 17:26, 30 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
There's a 2016 opinion piece in the Herald by conservative pundit Howie Carr, but sounds like we're talking about a number of senior members (in every sense of the word) that are either in jail or just released. Doesn't really point in one direction or another.--Simtropolitan (talk) 17:39, 30 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
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