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By ANTHONY COLAROSSI; Times Leader Staff Writer
Saturday, January 07, 1995 Page: 3A
SCRANTON — Two of Charles Montione’s former business associates in the
local drug trade testified against the Pittston native on Friday and linked
him to the 1986 beating and contract murder of Edward “Ned” Tracy.
David Savage of Pittston, who is facing federal drug charges, said he
regularly purchased drugs from Montione and Tracy in the mid-1980s.
The two men regularly visited Savage together, he said. But in January
1986, Montione met Savage, who was living in Swoyersville, for the first time
without Tracy, Savage said.
“Charlie said, `I’m having problems with him (Tracy); he’s using too much
stuff,’ ” Savage told Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas Judge James
Munley.
Munley is acting as judge and jury in Montione’s case. The 35-year-old
defendant chose to waive a jury trial after being assured the prosecution will
not seek a death sentence if Munley finds him guilty of first-degree murder.
Savage said Tracy, 29, was becoming unreliable to Montione and that
customers were complaining about getting less cocaine than they were paying
for whenever he delivered the drug.
“He had told me from the first time he showed up without Ned in January
that Ned was going to get a beating for this,” Savage said.
In the second week of February 1986, Savage saw a television news brief
announcing that a body had been found at the former Ransom Convalescent Home
on West Mountain, Lackawanna County.
Montione called, Savage said. Montione asked him if he had seen the news
item and told him the body was Tracy’s, Savage said.
In June 1986, Savage said Montione acted nervously and talked about the
murder. Savage said Montione had nothing to worry about because he had nothing
to do with it. But then Savage said Montione told him, ” `Bull—-. I had it
done. I paid Frankie. Frankie had it done.’ ”
Savage said Montione told him that he had paid Frank Mantione $20,000 for
the murder. Mantione, 28, also from Pittston, pleaded guilty to his murder
charge and agreed to testify for the prosecution in Montione’s case. Mantione
allegedly paid Charles Oliver, 27, also of Pittston, to kill Tracy. Oliver’s
murder trial will begin at the conclusion of Montione’s.
Montione’s attorney William Ruzzo questioned Savage about his pending
30-year drug sentence and his plea agreement. Savage has agreed to cooperate
in federal, state and local drug case investigations.
“As part of that agreement, you’re hoping for leniency, right?,” Ruzzo
asked.
“I’m not going to get much,” Savage said.
Ruzzo also asked Savage whether he had been on drugs when he had some of
his conversations with Montione and whether the drugs might impair his memory.
Savage said he was on drugs during some conversations with Montione and
agreed his recollection might be impaired.
Ralph Tonte, who sold drugs for Montione and shared a jail cell with him at
the Snyder County Prison in 1993 and 1994, testified that Montione said he was
involved in the Tracy murder while he was in prison on unrelated drug charges.
Montione is still serving that 14-year sentence.
“I said, `Charlie, if you didn’t do nothing, you’ve got nothing to do with
it,’ ” Tonte said. “His reply was, `I’m involved. I’m more involved than you
think.’ ”
Attorney Frank Nocito, who also represents Montione, revealed through his
questioning that Tonte agreed to participate with law enforcement to reduce
his prison sentence.
TIMES LEADER/FRED ADAMS
Charles Montione is escorted from the courtroom during his murder trial on
Friday in Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.