Editing John Gotti (section)

=== Associate ===
As early as his teens, Gotti was running errands for [[Carmine Fatico]], a ''[[Soldato|soldier]]'' in the Gambino family, then known as the Anastasia family under the leadership of [[crime boss|boss]] [[Albert Anastasia]].<ref>Raab, p. 352</ref> Gotti carried out [[truck hijacking]]s at Idlewild Airport (now [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]) together with his brother Gene and friend Ruggiero.<ref name="Raab, p. 354">Raab, p. 354</ref> During this time, he befriended fellow mob hijacker and future [[Bonanno crime family|Bonanno family]] boss [[Joseph Massino]], and was given the nicknames "'''Black John'''" and "'''Crazy Horse'''."<ref name="Raab, p. 354"/><ref>Raab, p. 606</ref> It was around this time that Gotti met his [[mentorship|mentor]], Gambino [[underboss]] [[Aniello Dellacroce|Aniello "Neil" Dellacroce]].<ref>Raab, p. 354.</ref>

In February 1968, [[United Airlines]] employees identified Gotti as the man who had signed for stolen merchandise; the FBI arrested him for that hijacking soon after. Gotti was arrested a third time for hijacking while out on [[bail]] two months later, this time for stealing a load of cigarettes worth $50,000 on the [[New Jersey Turnpike]]. Later that year, Gotti pleaded guilty to the hijacking of [[Northwest Airlines]] cargo trucks and was sentenced to three years at [[Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary]].<ref name="Raab, p. 354"/>

Gotti and Ruggiero were [[parole]]d in 1972 and returned to their old crew at the [[Bergin Hunt and Fish Club]], still working under Fatico. Gotti took responsibility for managing the Bergin crew's [[illegal gambling]] operation, where he proved himself to be an effective [[mob enforcer|enforcer]].<ref>Davis, pp. 155–157</ref> Fatico was [[indictment|indicted]] on [[loansharking]] charges in 1972; as a condition of his release, he could not associate with known felons. Gotti was not yet a made man due to the membership books' having been closed following the 1957 [[Apalachin meeting]], but Fatico named him acting ''capo'' of the Bergin crew soon after he was paroled.<ref>Davis, p. 158</ref> In this new role, Gotti frequently traveled to Dellacroce's headquarters at the [[Ravenite Social Club]] to brief the underboss on the crew's activities. Dellacroce had already taken a liking to Gotti, and the two became even closer during this time. The two were very similar — both had strong violent streaks, cursed frequently, and were heavy gamblers.<ref>Raab, p. 356.</ref>

After Emanuel Gambino, nephew to boss [[Carlo Gambino]], was kidnapped and murdered in 1973, Gotti was assigned to the [[Contract killing|hit]] team alongside Ruggiero and fellow enforcer Ralph Galione to search for the main suspect, gangster [[James McBratney]].<ref name="USATODAY timeline"/> The three men botched their attempt to abduct McBratney at a [[Staten Island]] bar when they attempted to arrest him while posing as police detectives,<ref name=ruthless/> and Galione shot McBratney dead when his accomplices managed to restrain him. Gotti was identified by eyewitnesses and by a police insider, and was arrested for the killing in June 1974.<ref>Davis, pp. 159–160</ref> He was able to strike a [[plea bargain]], however, with the help of attorney [[Roy Cohn]], and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for attempted [[manslaughter]] for his part in the hit.<ref name="Davis185"/> Following Gotti's death, he was also identified by Massino as the killer of Vito Borelli, a Gambino associate murdered in 1975.<ref>Raab, p. 608</ref>

Remo Franceschini, a member of the [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) from 1957 to 1991 who specialized in [[organized crime]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Matter of Honor: One Cop's Lifelong Pursuit of John Gotti and the Mob by Remo Franceschini |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780671739478 |access-date=2022-07-05 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Buder |first=Leonard |date=1986-05-21 |title=GOTTI IS EXPECTED TO RUN MOB GROUP FROM FEDERAL JAIL |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/21/nyregion/gotti-is-expected-to-run-mob-group-from-federal-jail.html |access-date=2022-07-05 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> was asked in 1993 how he knew at an early stage that Gotti would become a major figure in the Mafia; he said, “He was charismatic and a leader. He wasn't a womanizer. He spent all his time with his men. He also had a very sharp mind and total recall. And he exuded toughness. There were few men who would go against him."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lavin |first=Cheryl |date=29 August 1993 |title=Remo Franceschini spent many of his 35... |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-08-29-9308290112-story.html |access-date=5 July 2022}}</ref>