Bookie, Enforcer Has Bail Reduced By Court

Andover, Massachusetts residents and accused bookmaker/loan shark and his “enforcer” had their bails reduced by a judge on Tuesday.

According to the Eagle Tribune, Judge Mary-Lou Rup lowered the bails for both Joseph Giallanella, 62, of North Andover, and Wendell Bradford, 44, of Taunton on Tuesday.  Both men are tied to a 31-person indictment issued last Thursday that included reputed Boston mobster Mark Rossetti.

Still, the reduction was not exactly a bargain.  Originally, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office had sought $250,000 bail for Giallanella and $25,000 for Bradford.  Judge Rup lowered Giallanella’s bail down to $175,000 and $15,000 for Bradford. 

"We're pleased that the court set a reasonable bail and restrictions that were placed on Mr. Giallanella are certainly strict enough to protect everyone's interests," said Giallanela's lawyer Robert George.

Both men were expected to make bail on Wednesday. 

Specific charges allege that Giallanella and Bradford targeted two local victims.

Assistant Attorney General Patrick Hanley, of the state attorney general's office, outlined details of the operation to the Eagle Tribune.

Bets were placed online but money won or lost was paid in person, Hanley said.

"Bettors who lost and owed Mr. Giallanella money wouldn't pay."

Bradford would then allegedly issue warnings to the men "that bad things would happen if he would not pay.”

The indictment also alleges that phone conversations detailed how Bradford “knocked out a bookie in front of that bookie’s son”. 

Giallanella would use the alias Jason Peters over the past 30 years and issued loans with amounts ranging to $5,000 to $20,000, with interest rates of 3 to 5 percent per week.

Giallanella has confessed to these details according to Hanley. 

Bradford faces extortion and assault and battery charges.

The 103 indictments against 31 people include details of a widespread criminal enterprise that included drug trafficking, gambling, money laundering and life-threatening violence throughout eastern Massachusetts, according to prosecutors.