WILLIAM “BILLY” D’ELIA ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN 18 COUNT INDICTMENT WITH CONSPIRACY, SUBORNATION OF PERJURY, MONEY LAUNDERING, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF LAUNDERED MONEY, SOLICITATION OF MURDER, WITNESS TAMPERING AND CONTEMPT OF COURT

Federal and state law enforcement officials announced today that a superceding indictment has been returned against William “Billy” D’Elia, charging D’Elia in 18 counts with conspiracy, money laundering, subornation of perjury, obstruction of justice, contempt of court, solicitation of homicide and witness tampering.

Thomas A. Marino, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that a federal grand jury in Scranton has returned this superceding indictment against D’Elia following a series carefully coordinated investigations conducted by state and federal law enforcement agencies into organized criminal activity in Northeastern Pennsylvania involving: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division; and the Pennsylvania State Police, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.

According to Mr. Marino, this superceding indictment was returned by the grand jury following the arrest of D’Elia on Thursday October 12, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agents and the Pennsylvania State Police on charges contained in a sealed criminal complaint.

The 62-page superceding indictment returned by the grand jury alleges that between 1999 and October, 2006 D’Elia engaged in no less than four criminal schemes, two of which took place after May 2006, while D’Elia was free on bail on federal money laundering conspiracy charges.

According to the superceding indictment, the first scheme that D’Elia allegedly participated in extended from 1999 to January 2005, and entailed laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds, as well as obstructing a grand jury investigation into this drug money laundering. D’Elia is charged in connection with this first scheme with

• conspiracy to engage in money laundering;
• conspiracy to obstruct justice; and
• two counts of subornation of perjury.

The indictment then goes on to allege that D’Elia participated in a second money laundering scheme in May 2006, which was investigated by the FBI. During this money laundering scheme, it is alleged that D’Elia attempted to launder an additional $30,000 in what D’Elia believed to be drug proceeds, money that was provided to D’Elia by a cooperating witness. With respect to this second scheme, the indictment charges D’Elia with three counts of attempted money laundering, involving three $10,000 cash payments which D’Elia attempted to launder between May 8 and 31, 2006.

The superceding indictment further alleges that D’Elia was arrested by Special Agents of the FBI and IRS on May 31, 2006, on charges relating to this first criminal scheme. Following his arrest, D’Elia was released on bail. According to the indictment, it was a condition of D’Elia’s bail that D’Elia refrain from committing any other violation of law while he awaited trial on these money laundering conspiracy charges.

The superceding indictment then charges that, while D’Elia was free on bail, he engaged in two more criminal schemes which were investigated by ICE and the Pennsylvania State Police. According to the indictment, one of these schemes involved yet another episode of attempted money laundering between D’Elia and a second cooperating witness. This money laundering scheme entailed an attempt by D’Elia to launder an additional $100,000 in what he believed to be drug proceeds through bank accounts in the Dominican Republic. The indictment alleges that between May and July 2006 D’Elia laundered and wire transferred these funds through banks in the Dominican republic, and charges D’Elia with

• five additional counts of attempted money laundering;
• two counts of interstate transportation of money in aid of
money laundering; and
• one count of contempt of court, for violating the federal court bail order by engaging in new crimes while on bail.

Finally, the superceding indictment alleges that between June and October 12, 2006, D’Elia engaged in a fourth criminal scheme, when he solicited others to kill witnesses, and attempted to obstruct justice by soliciting the killing of potential witnesses against him and his co-conspirators. According to the superceding indictment, this solicitation to murder and witness tampering scheme continued until the time of D’Elia’s arrest on October 12, 2006.

The superceding indictment also contains a forfeiture count, which calls for the forfeiture of $565,000, the funds D’Elia allegedly derived from this illegal activity.

If convicted of all of these offenses, D’Elia faces a maximum sentence of 245 years’ imprisonment and fines totaling $4,000,000. Mr. Marino noted that this indictment was latest development in on-going criminal investigations of money laundering and related crimes in Northeastern Pennsylvania, stating that “Today’s superceding indictment sends a powerful message to those who may attempt to engage in organized criminal activity that this type of organized crime will not be tolerated.” Mr. Marino also praised all of the agencies involved in this joint investigation for their tireless efforts and close cooperation: “Without the seamless teamwork of this multi-agency investigative coalition today’s law enforcement success would not have been possible.”

Mr. Marino’s remarks were echoed by representatives of agencies comprising the investigative team in this case.

John Kelleghan, acting Special Agent-in-Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Philadelphia, said, "Today's indictment demonstrates ICE's broad authorities in targeting criminal elements that pose direct threats to U.S. communities. Through a cooperative, year-long investigation by ICE and the Pennsylvania State Police, the reputed leader of a long-standing organized crime family now stands accused of a murder-for-hire plot and laundering funds related to drug and alien smuggling. Removing this individual from the streets is significant victory for residents of Pennsylvania."

J.P. Weis, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI, commended the cooperative efforts of all the law enforcement agencies who worked on the case, to include the IRS, the Pennsylvania State Police and ICE, along with his agents assigned to the FBI's Scranton Resident Agency. These agencies continue to work together to address individuals who conduct and support illegal drug trafficking activity in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Colonel Jeffrey B. Miller, Commissioner, Pennsylvania State Police, made the following statement regarding the arrest of William D’Elia: “This investigation shows what can be accomplished through the coordinated effort of state and federal law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The successful investigation into Mr. D’Elia is the result of a tireless effort by investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police and their federal counterparts, and it should send a very strong message to those who choose a life of organized crime.”

U.S. Attorney Marino praised the many law enforcement partners whose efforts led to the Indictment. Marino noted, “This investigation is a sterling example of the success we can achieve in law enforcement by working together towards the common goal of justice.”

This case is being prosecuted in Harrisburg by Assistant United States Attorneys Gordon A.D. Zubrod and Christian Fisanick, Chief, Criminal Division, United States Attorney’s Office.

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An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.