 | Wiseguy Joey “Skinny Joey” Merlino removed his ankle bracelet Friday after he pleaded guilty to a single count of illegal gambling that allows him to avoid retrial. Merlino, head of the Philadelphia mob, had his initial case dismissed in January after a federal jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges of illegal gambling, loansharking, health care fraud and racketeering.
Rather than retry him, the feds agreed to let him cop to the least serious count. | Illegal gambling carries a maximum of two years in the slammer. Racketeering, by contrast, carries a maximum 20 years in prison. |