A real life Tony Soprano, albeit a jailed one, Tangorra was treated for depression and panic attacks he suffered earlier this year but has been judged mentally competent enough to admit his guilt to a variety of crimes.

The 52-year-old capo is scheduled to plead guilty to murder conspiracy and drug dealing charges as part of a 16-year plea deal that will close out three federal and state racketeering cases.

The stressed-out gangster decided to plead guilty rather than take on a cousin who fingered him in a 1988 slaying at his Bensonhurst, Brooklyn social club and a 1992 attempted murder in which Tangorra was shot.

His cousin, also plagued by mental problems, took a large quantity of sleeping pills and tried to commit suicide in 1999 – allegedly at

Tangorra's urging – soon after he began cooperating with authorities. Police raced to his home and rescued him before it was too late.

Tangorra's prison terms in a federal case in Long Island and a state case in Manhattan will run concurrently with the 16 year sentence.

That's if Brooklyn Federal Judge Allyne Ross approves the deal, and nothing prevents defense lawyer Larry Bronson – the only one of three attorneys who still represents Tangorra –  (right) from getting to court. Ross bounced Vincent Romano, who had represented Tangorra's cousin before he cooperated, for a conflict of interest. Stanley Teitler, who was the focus of a silly Luchese feud we disclosed in August, dropped out when he learned prosecutors William Gurin and Trish McNeill were about to cite him for a conflict of interest, too.

Last week, as an anxious Tangorra waited in the pens, Bronson slipped on some ice-like wax that workers had applied to a stairwell in his office

building, fell down and cracked his head open. A dozen stitches were needed to close his wound. "My legs went out from under me and I went down," Bronson told Gang Land. "I'm fine now and I'll be there."

As part of a global plea deal, acting underboss Eugene (Boopsie) Castelle, 41, (left) associate John (Big John) Castellucci, 44, and soldier Joseph (JoJo) Truncale, 70, pleaded guilty to various racketeering charges last week.

All fared better than Tangorra, with aging Truncale seemingly doing best of all. He will receive only five years for murder conspiracy and drug dealing. And with his sentencing in April, Truncale will be able to celebrate Christmas, his 71st birthday and Easter at home. "It truly was an offer he couldn't refuse," said lawyer Joel Winograd.

Castelle will receive between 78 to 97 months for extortion and gambling. Castellucci will get 41 months for extortion that will be added to three years he is now serving for parole violation.

At his recent racketeering trial, Trentacosta, 62, admitted he was a Gambino family member and had been since the late 1980's. In Gang Land, this unpardonable infraction usually carries the death penalty, according to Cosa Nostra's unofficial bylaws.

Mobsters often bend the rules and admit being part of a criminal enterprise in order to satisfy requirements needed to plead guilty to a crime, but, like Gambino soldier John (Johnny Beano) Setaro did in a case we told you about last month, they invariably refuse to concede membership in a Mafia family, even if it means taking a longer prison sentence.

Trentacosta, who grew up and plied his gangster trade in Brooklyn and Ozone Park, Queens before relocating to Atlanta soon after he was made, went much further. He actually signed a stipulation (a legal agreement  between the defense and prosecution about a point of evidence) about his membership that was introduced into evidence at his trial.

"It's a slap in the face of Peter Gotti and a challenge to the entire Gambino Crime family," said FBI agent George Gabriel, the case agent in the murder and racketeering case that sent John Gotti to prison for life.

"There's no way Peter could have given him permission to do that," said Gabriel.

Another law enforcement official put it more succinctly: "Pep basically told  Peter, John and all the rest to go fuck themselves. They have to kill him or

Gabriel, who testified at Trentacosta's trial in Miami federal court, told Gang Land that the transplanted New York wiseguy expressed no concern about his actions. "He said he wasn't afraid of them at all," said Gabriel.

Trentacosta's trial strategy was based on the premise that it is not a crime to belong to the mob. He admitted he was a mobster, but argued that the prosecution had no proof he committed any crimes.

"This is a real-life Tony Soprano," his lawyer, Stephen Rosen, told the jury. "But let's see the proof. Tell me the amount of money, the percentage of tribute that my client received."

During the month-long trial, Tony Pep played it cool. He made eye contact with the jurors, laughed and smiled at them, even mouthing a "Thank you," to them when they pronounced him guilty last week after about five hours of deliberations.

He was remanded following his conviction. He faces up to 20 years when he is sentenced.  

It's a nice stocking stuffer and your favorite book store should have it in stock! If not, tell them to order it. Or else!

The folks at Gang Land's favorite bookstore, Amazon.com, have knocked the price down so low – $13.26 – I am concerned that the Godfather of online booksellers has forgotten about my end.

The book encapsulates 100 years of mob history in North America. It will take you from the early 20th century, through the lucrative Prohibition era of the 1920's and the formation of the Mafia's Commission.

There is a chronology of major events that shaped the Mafia from 1890 through 2001 and a short history of the 24 families that spread out across the United States and Canada. I detail the discovery of a national meeting of mob leaders in 1957 and the passage of the famous racketeering (RICO) statutes that have cut the mob down in size and influence.

There's a chapter about turncoats and one about the Castellammarese War that led to the creation of The Commission. The book delves into the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, the mob's moves in Las Vegas and a real-life Mafia boss who was seeing a shrink 50 years before Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal. And much much more.