Rhode Island Mobster Frank ‘Bobo’ Marrapese Dead at 74

Frank L. “Bobo” Marrapese Jr., a Rhode Island mobster who worked for the notorious New England crime boss Raymond L.S. Patriarca, died Friday at Rhode Island Hospital at the age of 74.

Rhode Island State Police Lt. Col. Joseph F. Philbin confirmed Marrapese’s death in a statement to the Providence Journal.

Marrapese was in prison at the Adult Correctional Institutions for murder, extortion and racketeering. Much of his criminal activities happened in the 1960s and ’70s.

Marrapese was responsible for running the Acorn Social Club in Providence, which became a major hangout for New England mobsters. He shot mob associate Richard “Dickie” Callei there in March 1975 and buried the body near a Rehoboth, Massachusetts gold course.

As the Journal notes, he was convicted of Callei’s murder in 1987 and sentenced to life in prison.

He got out on parole in 2008, but was back in prison after police broke up a sports gambling ring he was involved with. In 2013, he was sentenced to nine years in prison for racketeering and extortion. He was up for parole in September, but was denied.

Marrapese was also charged with the murders of Anthony “The Moron” Mirabella and Ronald McElroy, who were both killed in 1982. He was acquitted in both cases.

ACI spokeswoman Susan Perez told the Journal he was recently admitted to the hospital. She did not give details on when he was taken in or what the cause of death was.

Marrapese’s death closes a chapter of crime in Providence. Patriarca died in July 1984 at age 76.

Photo credit: Twitter/ @GangstersInc