A group of old friends is holding a reunion of sorts this week in Brooklyn. They came from as far away as California, answering a summons from one of their own who said he needed their help. But they came neither willingly nor happily. In fact, they came in chains. 

They are the imprisoned remnants of the former hierarchy of the Luchese crime family who were transported to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center at the behest of Frank (Frankie Pearl) Federico, (right) a family soldier who used his lawyer to round up a bunch of potential alibi witnesses in the slayings of two government witnesses for which he goes to trial next week.

The one big unhappy family now gathered at the MDC is headed by 69-year-old boss Vittorio (Vic) Amuso who flew in from Atlanta, where he is doing life for a slew of murders. Capo Frank (Frankie Bones) Papagni, 46, (left) arrived from Lewisberg, Pennsylvania, where he’s got another 11 years to serve for murder and assorted other mob mayhem before he gets out. 

Two other capos, George (Georgie Goggles) Conte, 43, and George (Georgie Neck) Zappola, 44, (right) are in from Adelanto, California and Allenwood respectively, where each is serving 22 years for a few mob hits too. Arrested on the same cold January day in 1995, the pair are each due out the same day, 10 years from yesterday – March 3, 2014.

No one that Gang Land speaks to – and we speak to just about anyone – can fathom what possible value convicted murderers would have as alibi witnesses for an accused mob hitman.

But Federico’s lawyer Paul Testaverde asked for them, and the feds delivered

them. Even the wiseguys, who made the best of their relocation, enjoying visits with relatives and friends, can’t understand the move. 

In a strong letter to Judge Frederic Block, Amuso (left) lawyer Linda Sheffield stressed that the mob chieftain has no evidence to impart in the case, and will not testify, period. “Mr. Amuso (has) heart and blood pressure problems (and) has no intention of testifying at the trial and will invoke his Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination if called.”

In another setback for the defense, Judge Block declined to permit Frankie Pearl the opportunity to have a “co-defendant meeting” with his potential witnesses, noting that Federico was standing alone in court and the only defendant in the case.

Initially, Testaverde also tabbed Salvatore Avellino, (right) a capo who admitted ordering the two murders Federico allegedly committed, and Avellino’s brother Carmine, as alibi witnesses, but he changed his mind before they could be transported to the MDC. 

Belatedly, Testaverde seems to have gotten Amuso’s message. The lawyer recently told prosecutors he does not intend to use Amuso, the two Georges, or Frankie Bones as witnesses. But he is still considering whether to call capo Anthony (Bowat) Baratta, 65, or turncoat underboss Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso, 63,(left)  to the witness stand, according to court records.

According to court records, Baratta drove a “crash” car during the killings of Robert Kubecka and Donald Barstow. He is scheduled to be released from

prison in October of next year and would be very unlikely to agree to testify as a defense witness in the case.

For one thing, his Mafia oath would prevent Bowat (right) from doing so. For another, as Gang Land has previously reported, he has a table at Rao’s and wouldn’t let anything get in the way of renewed dining experiences at the legendary East Harlem eatery.  

Casso broke his Mafia oath a decade ago and spilled precious family secrets. But he was later disavowed by the feds for committing a slew of crimes after he began cooperating – including bribery, drug abuse and perjury – which makes him another unlikely witness.

Even if Gaspipe were willing to testify for Federico, his prior reports that Frankie Pearl had been involved in the hit and had been bloodied in the attack, would seem to be more damaging than any nice things he could possibly say now about Federico.

But virtually anything is possible in Gang Land today, not only in the reel world where Tony Soprano and his crew move back into action this weekend in HBO’s hit series about the fictitious New Jersey mob crew reputedly based on Newark’s own DeCavalcante family.

Take for instance, the notion that the feds would be so foolish – and cheap – as to put bitter enemies Amuso and Casso on the same plane for their trip back to New York. The two men have been on the outs for years and haven’t seen each

other since 1991 when an anonymous caller – knowledgeable Gang Land sources on both sides of the law believe it was Casso – tipped the FBI to Amuso’s whereabouts when both were on the lam. (Amuso, left, & Casso)

But prison sources tell Gang Land that’s exactly what happened. One source said that when Amuso spotted Casso he looked venomously at his former pal and spat out a few curse words. Other sources deny it. But no one questions the likelihood that the two saw each other, if not on the plane, then later as they were transported to the prison.

For security reasons, said Bureau of Prisons public affairs specialist Carla Wilson, the BOP and U.S. Marshals Service, the agencies that transport inmates, never discuss the specifics of transfers and declined to comment about the Amuso/Casso trip to New York. She confirmed, however, that both arrived at the MDC on the same day, Feb. 11, and that Casso, who is assigned to the Supermax facility in Florence, Colorado, traveled through Atlanta.

As of yesterday, Amuso and Casso were both still housed at the MDC, but since Amuso has already been excused from appearing at Federico’s trial and can be shipped out at any time, it’s unlikely they will share another plane anytime soon. In Gang Land, though, you never know.