Former union member convicted on extortion charges
A former Boston Teamster member was convicted of extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion on Tuesday, according to US Attorney Cameron Ortiz’s office.
Quincy resident James Deamicis, a former Teamster Local 82 member, was accused of extorting businesses including hotels, music venues, and other Boston businesses over several years by threatening to disrupt establishments unless they gave him a job.
Deamicis and others are also accused of assaulting and intimidating fellow union members critical of their actions, and face up to 20 years in prison on each count of extortion.
“A jury unanimously found that Deamicis’s tactics were not legitimate union organizing, but orchestrated extortion,’’ Ortiz said in the statement. “A union card is not a license to commit a crime; the strong-arm tactics belong in the history books, not on the streets of Boston.’’
Deamicis’ lawyer, Thomas Iovieno told The Boston Globethat his client will appeal the verdict.
“The law is quite clear that a Labor Union may engage in threats to picket in order to obtain jobs and wages for its members. Today’s verdict misapplied established law that has existed for decades,’’ he said.
Two of Deamicis’ co-defendants were also found guilty of extortion charges in November 2014. A third defendant was acquitted of all charges.
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