Irpinia, drug dealing controlled from prison: Marrone clan faces 42-year prison sentences

Naples – The bars of Bellizzi Irpino prison weren't an obstacle, but merely a remote office from which to continue running the drug business. Yesterday, the criminal gang led by Americo Marrone, the leader of Altavilla Irpina, received a judicial blow. Despite his incarceration, he continued to pull the strings of drug dealing in the province of Avellino.

The preliminary hearing judge of the Court of Naples, Fabrizio Finamore, has handed down sentences totalling almost 42 years of imprisonment, severely hitting the top management and followers of what investigators have described as a "family-run drug dealing ring".

The sentences

At the conclusion of the fast-track trial—which provides for a reduction of one-third of the sentence—the judge's hand was heavy, albeit curtailing the prosecution's initial requests. Americo Marrone, considered the undisputed ringleader of the conspiracy, was sentenced to 14 years, one month, and 10 days in prison.

The closest family members, who are crucial to maintaining the connection between prison and the streets, were not spared: the boss's wife, Tiziana Porchi, received a sentence of 7 years and 2 months, while her nephew, Valentino D'Angelo, will serve 6 years and 8 months. Other members of the network also received severe sentences: Aniello Manzo was sentenced to 6 years and 11 months, while Francesco De Angelis received 6 years, 11 months, and 10 days.

The sentence comes after a deliberation session that began after the defense team, composed of lawyers Gaetano Aufiero, Loredana De Risi, and Roberto Romano, presented oral arguments. In mid-November, DDA prosecutor Henry John Woodcock had called for even harsher sentences, seeking 18 years for Marrone and sentences of between 7 and 9 years for his accomplices.
The verdict, however, confirms the prosecution's case, recognizing the gravity of a criminal system capable of operating under detention conditions.

The system: “intercom sim” and orders from the cell

The operation that led to yesterday's convictions began last April, conducted by the Avellino Flying Squad under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Aniello Ingenito. The investigation uncovered a mechanism as simple as it was effective: Marrone had never stopped being the boss. From his cell in the Avellino penitentiary, he issued precise orders using smuggled cell phones.

According to investigators' reconstruction, Tiziana Porchi played a key role. She acted as a "liaison officer": not only did she manage her husband's messages, but she also maintained a secure communications network. The group used SIM cards registered to foreign front men, which were changed with almost obsessive frequency to evade interceptions. This precaution, however, wasn't enough to escape the radar of the Anti-Mafia, which intercepted and decoded the flow of orders originating from Bellizzi Irpino to flood Irpinia with drugs.