Giovanni De Stefano, brother of justice collaborator Luisa, was arrested in Ponticelli for illegal possession of a firearm. The man, a well-known member of the local underworld, was stopped during a territorial control operation. The gun, a “Smith & Wesson”, was found after a short chase.
Article Key Points
De Stefano's arrest turns the spotlight back on the complex criminal situation in Ponticelli. The neighborhood has long been the scene of clashes between various clans, and Luisa De Stefano's repentance has opened up new investigative scenarios.
The boss probably feared ambushes, so he organized himself to defend himself, hiding a “Smith & Wesson” revolver in his house, which he tried in vain to get rid of. Giovanni De Stefano, known as “Giovannone o' pazzignano”, a prominent figure in the Ponticelli underworld and brother of the justice collaborator Louise DeStefano, mother of the repentant Tommaso Schisa.
The other night, in the Rione De Gasperi, two patrol cars noticed him in the company of two other men. Their suspicious behavior, with a sudden departure from the area, aroused the suspicion of the police, starting a chase. De Stefano, 41, was stopped and arrested for illegal possession of a firearm, while his two companions managed to escape. At the moment, no charges have been brought against them.
Giovanni De Stefano had spent ten years in prison
Giovanni De Stefano was arrested in 2012 for extortion aggravated by the mafia method, together with the other survivors of the Sarno clan and released after ten years in 2022. Today the agents, engaged in the intensified controls by the Naples Police Headquarters to counter tensions between clans, intercepted him in via Angelo Camillo De Meis. At the sight of the police, he and his two companions fled.
While the two managed to disappear, De Stefano returned to his home, attempting to get rid of the gun by throwing it from the balcony. It was a “Smith & Wesson” model 38 Special, complete with six .38 caliber cartridges. However, the officers recovered the weapon and arrested him.
Article published on 6 December 2024 - 23:42
It's incredible how certain events continue to repeat themselves in some areas of the city. Giovanni De Stefano has a long and complicated history, but the current situation in Ponticelli seems to be increasingly difficult for the authorities to manage.