A Hollywood man who is an alleged ``made`` member of the Luchese organized crime family has been indicted with five other men on charges they conspired to distribute up to 1,650 pounds of cocaine throughout the United States, federal prosecutors said on Monday.
The two-year investigation evolved into a government sting operation this summer when a confidential witness wore a hidden microphone and recorded conversations with the alleged mobsters, court documents say.
Frank Suppa, 53, of the 1400 block of Andrews Road, was named in the three- count indictment as being the supervisor of a criminal ``crew`` comprised of associates of the New Jersey-based Luchese family.
Also Monday, eight other people, including Sarantis Boutikos of Fort Lauderdale, were charged in what prosecutors said was a related five-count indictment. They were charged with conspiring to import and distribute marijuana and cocaine.
Federal agents said Suppa was the Luchese`s coordinator in South Florida.
Prosecutors declined to say where Suppa allegedly fit in the hierarchy of the Luchese family.
According to documents on file in federal court, the case hinges on undercover tapes produced by an unnamed informant who infiltrated Suppa`s group.
From May to July 1993, the informant told Suppa he was importing 3,300 pounds of cocaine into Miami, the documents said.
``Suppa understood and agreed that of the 1,500 kilograms that would be imported, 750 kilograms (or 1,650 pounds) would be delivered to the Colombian suppliers and the remainder would be retained by Suppa`s organization,`` the documents say.
In secretly taped conversations, Suppa told the informant the cocaine would be distributed by three associates, Robert Reino of Union, N.J., Thomas Stabile of Hollywood and Anthony Vallone of Coral Springs, the documents say.
According to court documents, agents placed packages of sham cocaine in a warehouse and arrested alleged members of Suppa`s crew when they arrived to take it away.
