BOSTON, Miss., Sept. 20 (UPI) -- An ex-official with a Teamsters local in the Boston area has been charged with shaking down hotels, caterers, event planners and the Democratic Party.
Federal prosecutors say that John Perry, 60, of Woburn, secretary of Local 82, and "Perry's crew" threatened to disrupt conventions unless they were paid off, The Boston Herald reported. Perry, Joseph "Jo Jo" Burhoe, 44, of Braintree, who allegedly served as his enforcer, and two other men, James "Jimmy the Bull" Deamicis, 49, of Quincy and Thomas Flaherty, 49, of Braintree were arrested Wednesday on racketeering charges.
Perry and Flaherty were freed on bond. Deamicis and Burhoe, who have previous convictions, were held pending bail hearings.
Local 82 was merged with another Teamster local in 2011. Perry had already been thrown out a year earlier.
Investigators say the events the group threatened included a 2009 fundraiser for President Obama sponsored by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
