alleged leaders of the Mafioso street gang, pleaded innocent Friday to charges of attempted murder

alleged leaders of the Mafioso street gang, pleaded innocent Friday to charges of attempted murder for a 2005 shooting.

Michael Peralta, 28, and Nigel Vaughn, 25, were ordered held without bail by Superior Court Judge Robert Kane. They are scheduled for bail hearings on Oct. 13.

Bail, however, is academic for both men. Peralta, identified as the founder and leader of the Mafioso gang, was convicted in 2007 on gun charges and is serving a 15-year sentence. Vaughn was convicted in 2007 of attempted murder for the April 12, 2005, shooting of three men at Larry’s Sports Pub on Morgan Street. He is serving a 20-year sentence.All three men survived in the Larry’s Pub shooting.

At Vaughn’s trial, witnesses testified Vaughn became enraged after one of the three men knocked a sweater belonging to Vaughn’s girlfriend from a bar stool to the floor.

Both Peralta and Vaughn were identified as leaders of the Mafioso street gang, a group of young men and women that was based in Fall River and was once considered the most dangerous and violent street gang in the city.

Police say the Mafioso gang that existed in 2005 is now defunct.

Peralta and Vaughn were indicted Aug. 25 by a grand jury for the attempted murder of two men who were shot on the boardwalk about 250 feet north of the Regatta Night Club on Davol Street at 2 a.m. on March 27, 2005.

Jared Robinson, 28, also formerly of Fall River and also an alleged former Mafioso leader, was indicted by the grand jury. Robinson is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 23.

Police went to Davol Street near the Regatta Night Club at 2 a.m. on March 27, 2005. They found two men on the ground, both alive and bleeding from gunshot wounds.

Yvens Saint Louis, 23 of Quincy, was shot twice in the back. Osias McEleven, 24, of Brockton, was shot once through the foot.

Saint Louis was initially admitted to the trauma intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital with his injuries. McEleven was treated at St. Anne’s Hospital and released. Both men survived.

Though the case is more than five years old, it was never closed, Police Chief Daniel Racine and District Attorney Samuel Sutter said.

Detective Lawrence Ferreira worked with prosecutor Steven Gagne on the case.

The shooting came during a busy and violent spring for the group identified as the Mafioso gang.
In addition to the shootings at the Regatta Night Club and the shooting a month later at Larry’s Sport Pub, Peralta was shot three times in the leg and once in the hand in a shooting at the Father Diaferio Village on May 22, 2005.

Police charged Robinson that same day in connection with another shooting on John Street. Witnesses later told police Robinson fired in defense against a man who was shooting at him.
Those charges against Robinson were later dismissed.

With the arraignments of Peralta and Vaughn, the cases will be placed on the trial calendar.

They are charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a licence and possession a firearm without an FID card.

The charge of attempted murder carries a possible 20-year sentence. If they are convicted of that charge, and if the jury also convicts them of using a firearm to commit attempted murder, there will be a minimum of five years added to whatever sentence they receive for attempted murder.

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