Indicted reputed

Bonanno Family boss

Federal prosecutors unseal racketeering and murder indictment against Joseph C Massino, leader of Bonanno crime family; Massino had instituted strict secrecy policies within family, but they appear to have fallen short; defection of three imprisoned Bonanno figures, combined with results of continuing investigation, have given authorities evidence they needed to charge Massino with 22-year-old mob slaying and other crimes; also charged with same crimes were Salvatore Vitale, Frank Lino Sr and Daniel Mongelli; five major crime family heads, Carmine Persico, Peter Gotti, Vincent Gigante and Vittorio Amuso, are now in custody; photos (M) Just weeks after the F.B.I. won its first defections from within the seemingly impenetrable Bonanno crime family, federal prosecutors yesterday unsealed a racketeering and murder indictment against the elusive man they say is the family's boss.

Joseph C. Massino, the accused leader of the crime family, was the only one of the bosses of New York's five Mafia clans to evade prosecution over the last decade, officials said. With the charges against him, which included the storied murder of a mob figure who was depicted in the film ''Donnie Brasco,'' prosecutors said virtually all the senior members of the five families are either awaiting trial or have been convicted of racketeering crimes.

January 10, 2003