John H. Nacrelli

John H. Nacrelli is an American politician who served as a Republican mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania from 1968 to 1979. Nacrelli was convicted on federal bribery and racketeering charges related to his activities as mayor[1] and served two years in prison.

John H. Nacrelli
Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania
In office 1968–1979
Preceded by	James Henry Gorbey
Succeeded by	Joseph F. Battle Jr.
Chester City Council
In office 1966–1968
Personal details
Political party	Republican

Career

Nacrelli was appointed to the Chester City Council in 1966 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Garry E. Boden. He was elected for a two year term on the council in 1967.[2]

Nacrelli was elected mayor of Chester in 1968 and served until 1979.[3]

Corruption

Nacrelli was affiliated with an illegal numbers gambling operation of the Miller-Fontaine syndicate. Nacrelli directed the Chester Police Department to arrest numbers operators who tried to compete with the Miller-Fontaine operation.[4]

The corrupt political system set up by Nacrelli stretched beyond Chester and into Delaware County.[5]

Nacrelli was convicted of racketeering and income tax evasion for accepting $22,000 in bribes associated with the illegal gambling operation.[3] He served two years in federal prison and returned to Chester in March 1982.[4]

A few months after his release from prison, Nacrelli began working as a sales representative for JP Amusement, an illegal video poker machine business operated by Willie Smith, a known loan shark and narcotics financier and Joseph and James Iacona - the brothers of Gary Iacona, who was indicted for his involvement in the Philadelphia crime family capo Santo Idone.[4] According to testimony at the 1989 Pennsylvania Crime Commission, Nacrelli would intimidate tavern owners to remove competitive video poker machines from their establishments and replace them with JP Amusement machines.[4]

Nacrelli continued to play a role in local politics and Chester city government after his release from prison. He retained influence in the control of patronage matters and the official affairs of the Chester City Council and the Chester School District.[6]

Nacrelli was hired by Westinghouse to influence Delaware County politicians into supporting the development of the Westinghouse trash incinerator in Chester despite the objections of Willie Mae James Leake, the mayor at the time.[7] On October 25, 1988 Chester City Council signed an agreement to build the Westinghouse trash incinerator in Chester with Mayor Leake abstaining.[8]

Personal life

Nacrelli was married to Doris (Casey) Nacrelli and together had a son John H., Jr. born in 1951.[9]

See also

• List of mayors of Chester, Pennsylvania

References

1. Viola, Michael (2013). Time's-a-Marchin': Life Through the Lens of News Photographer. Xlibris Corporation. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4797-5249-2. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
2. Ainsworth, Colin. "Today in History: Nov. 8, 2017". www.delcotimes.com. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
3. Decourcy Hinds, Michael. "Pennsylvania City Hopes It's Bouncing Back From the Bottom". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
4. "Pennsylvania Crime Commission 1989 report" (PDF). www.ncjrs.gov. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
5. Godson, Roy (2003). Menace to Society: Political-criminal Collaboration Around the World. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-7658-0502-2. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
6. Martens, Frederick T. (2015). We'll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse: A Primer on the Investigation of Public Corruption. Complex Litigation Sciences. ISBN 978-1-78301-750-8. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
7. "The Case for Environmental Justice in Chester, Pennsylvania" (PDF). www.movementech.org. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
8. Walsh, Edward J. (1997). Don't Burn it Here: Grassroots. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. pp. 79–81. ISBN 0-271-01663-9. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
9. "John H. "Jac" Nacrelli, Jr". www.lancasteronline.com. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

Political offices
Preceded by James Henry Gorbey	Mayor of Chester 1968–1979	Succeeded by Joseph F. Battle Jr.